After Zuma, we expect better from Ramaphosa

President Cyril Ramaphosa has since admitted to receiving a R500,000 donation towards his 2017 campaign to become ANC president from controversial businessman Gavin Watson who is the CEO of African Global Operations (formerly Bosasa). This has prompted a volley of criticism from opposition parties which have accused Ramaphosa of misleading parliament.

The president’s admission followed an earlier response he gave to parliament when asked by DA leader Mmusi Maimane about the payment which was initially thought to have been intended for his son, Andile Ramaphosa.

Ramaphosa confidently told parliament the money was for consultancy work that his son had done for Bosasa. But the president has since made an about turn – writing to the speaker of parliament Baleka Mbete, to “update” his earlier response regarding the payment.

Now it turns out that Ramaphosa’s admission came after News24 began questioning the law firm that had received the payment in its trust account.

This suggests the sudden admission by the president was a public relations exercise to preempt the embarrassing story.

In July, the Constitutional Court ruled that information on the private funding of political parties and independent candidates was “essential for the effective exercise of the right [of voters] to make political choices and to participate in the elections”.

The fallout from the Ramaphosa donation points to the urgent need for the funding of individual political campaigns, within political parties, to also be made public.

The rationale is simple – those who contest power within their respective political parties do so with the intention of being in government – should their party win the elections. Therefore it is essential that their funders are known.

Business people fund political campaigns with the sole intention of buying influence.

Also, there is nothing wrong with Ramaphosa receiving funding towards his political campaign. This is an acceptable practice, the world over.

However, his apparent attempt to conceal the source is worrisome. We have already had to endure 10 years of a lying and unaccountable Jacob Zuma. We expect better from Ramaphosa.

Business people fund political campaigns with the sole intention of buying influence