Ramaphosa grilled over his stance on corruption

DA leader asks president whether he supports graft accused ex-mayor’s new appointment

PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa yesterday shuffled around a question about whether he supported corruption-accused former eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede being appointed to the KwaZulu-Natal legislature.

John Steenhuisen, the leader of the DA, had asked Ramaphosa during a question-and-answer session in Parliament: “Do you support Zandile Gumede’s elevation to the KZN legislature, and if not, what are you going to do about it?” he asked.

Ramaphosa eventually replied, after Steenhuisen had to rise on a point of order because the president appeared to be obfuscating. “The matter is being discussed among the structures of the ANC. Admittedly, the matter has caused quite a lot of disquiet, and the matter is being discussed within the structures of the ANC in a very democratic manner – and leave it to those structures to deal with the matter,” said Ramaphosa.

Gumede is out on R50 000 bail for her alleged role in a Durban Solid Waste tender scandal amounting to over R400 million. She is facing charges of fraud and corruption, along with 16 co-accused. She has denied any involvement, saying she is being persecuted because she is a woman leader and is disliked by the media.

She was appointed to the provincial legislature last week, and was this week appointed to the co-operative governance and traditional affairs committee, meaning she will have a say in how local government is run.

Steenhuisen told the president that the ANC was “pathologically incapable of self-correction” as the party was placed before the country by its leaders, before he asked him about Gumede. “You have been talking about corruption for many years – when you were deputy president, when you were leader of government business. You defended (former president) Jacob Zuma throughout his tenure.”

Ramaphosa said he respected the fact that Steenhuisen “has spoken out as a South African citizen about the concerns that he and many other citizens have about a number of missteps… that have happened in South Africa in dealing with corruption.”

The president said the outrage over corruption related to Covid-19 procurement needed to be capitalised on. “This Titanic is not sinking, if we were to look at the steps we have taken… For the very first time, we have almost 11 agencies in government working together looking at corruption…

“The task of the president is to ensure institutions are strengthened and principles adhered to. My task is not to go around investigating this one and that one,” he said. |