Ramaphosa’s son ‘received ‘questionable’ payment’
DA leader Mmusi Maimane has implicated the son of President Cyril Ramaphosa in questionable financial dealings with controversial government service provider Bosasa‚ alleging that Andile Ramaphosa received a suspicious R500‚000 payment from the company.
Maimane dropped the bombshell in the National Assembly on Tuesday when Ramaphosa appeared in the house to take oral questions from MPs – a session that started with the president taking questions on the VBS financial scandal.
Maimane used his chance to ask a follow-up question to raise the matter of Andile Ramaphosa and his dealings with Bosasa‚ a facilities management firm that has been at the centre of controversial government tenders involving several departments‚ politicians and other connected figures.
Maimane confronted Ramaphosa with papers showing how money was allegedly moved from a Bosasa business account to a trust account allegedly for the benefit of his son under questionable circumstances.
“Now Mr President‚ here I hold a proof of payment that [says] half a million rands need to be transferred to a trust account called ‘EFG2’ on October 18 [2017].
“This was allegedly put for your son Andile Ramaphosa.
“Following on to that‚ Mr President‚ I have a sworn affidavit from Peet Venter‚ stating that he was asked by the CEO of Bosasa that he must make this transfer for Andile Ramaphosa,” he said.
“Mr President‚ we can’t have family members benefiting.
“I want to ask you that you will bring our nation into your confidence and set the record straight on this matter‚ Mr President.”
Ramaphosa admitted that the matter had been brought to his attention – and that he had confronted his son about it some time ago.
The president told MPs that Andile had assured him the payment was legitimate because he had provided a service to Bosasa through his business consultancy firm.
Ramaphosa said he would be the first to send his son to jail if his version of events turned out to be false.
“I [asked] my son what this was all about.
“He runs a financial consultancy business and consults for a number of companies.
“One of those companies is Bosasa‚ where he provides services on entrepreneurship and on procurement processes.
“I can assure Mr Maimane that I asked him whether this was money that was obtained illegally‚ unlawfully – and he said this was service that was provided.
“He actually showed me a contract he [had] signed with Bosasa.”
Ramaphosa said he had previously told his family members not to trade with the state or any of its entities.
“I have told my children: ‘You do not do any business with state-owned enterprises.
“‘You do not do any business with the government.’
“But I do know from time to time‚ some of these errors‚ some of these activities‚ can surface.
“But if there’s any illegality‚ if there’s any corruption‚ I’m going to be the first one and take them‚ if need be‚ to jail myself.”
EFF leader Julius Malema said that if Ramaphosa’s explanation was acceptable, the same should apply to Brian Shivambu, EFF deputy leader Floyd Shivambu’s brother, who has been named as a beneficiary of payments linked to the VBS scandal. –