Maimane wants Bosasa inquiry
DA leader Mmusi Maimane wants an independent inquiry, headed by a retired judge, to be set up to probe the relationship between Bosasa and the Ramaphosa family.
Maimane said on Sunday that should President Cyril Ramaphosa not do so, he would be applying double standards.
Ramaphosa admitted last week that a payment made on behalf of politically connected Bosasa CEO Gavin Watson into a trust account was used to fund his campaign to become president of the ANC.
Ramaphosa was asked by Maimane during questions in the National Assembly on November 6 about the payment, made by Watson to Ramaphosa’s son, Andile.
Ramaphosa initially said he had asked his son about the payment and had been told it was for a service provided to Bosasa and that Andile had a contract with Bosasa.
However, in a letter to parliamentary speaker Baleka Mbete on Friday, he said the donation had been made without his knowledge.
Bosasa, now known as African Global, has been in the news for years as a result of allegations of corruption and improper relationships with government officials.
“I will be writing to President Cyril Ramaphosa today [Sunday] to request that he appoints an independent inquiry, headed by a retired judge to be selected by the chief justice, to fully investigate the Bosasa scandal, which now involves the president and his family,” Maimane said on Sunday.
“President Ramaphosa has publicly committed himself to fighting corruption.
“In reply to my question in parliament about Bosasa payments to his son, he said he would take his son to the police station himself if there was evidence of corruption.
“Now he must show how serious his commitment to fighting corruption really is.”
He said Ramaphosa could not apply double standards.
“President Ramaphosa has appointed independent inquiries to investigate corruption elsewhere.
“Now the same standard must apply to him and his family,” Maimane said.
“This inquiry should also determine whether the president lied to parliament when he answered my question in the house about this payment.
“The latest admission by the president, that Bosasa donated at least R500,000 to his campaign for the presidency of the ANC, and that his son receives payments for consulting work from Bosasa, requires an extensive investigation.”
He said he wanted the scope of the inquiry to include “the full extent of Bosasa’s corrupt influence on government, all payments made by Bosasa to politicians, or their families, trusts or companies, the full involvement of the president and his family in this scandal and any other related issues and payments”.
Maimane has also submitted two applications in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) – one to the Presidency and one to the African Global Group – to gain access to the contract for services rendered by Andile to Bosasa.
African Global spokesperson Papa Leshabane confirmed on Sunday that the company had received the PAIA application and said the company’s lawyers would respond in due course.
Asked why African Global had decided to donate to Ramaphosa’s campaign, he said: “African Global did not make the donation.”
Asked for clarity on whether the money had been paid by Watson personally, Leshabane could not be reached.
Watson, when asked for comment, said: “I have nothing to say about it.”
Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Khusela Diko, said: “The president has just returned this morning from Ethiopia.
“He has not yet had the opportunity to consider any correspondence.”