PRESIDENT’S SUPPORTERS ARE HYPOCRITES

THE sudden change of tune on the sanctity of the rule of law, constitutionalism and the ANC step-aside rule by President Cyril Ramaphosa and his supporters since the Phala Phala scandal broke, has exposed them as hypocrites who expect one set of rules for themselves and different ones for other people.

After coming to power on a ticket of anti-corruption, renewal of the governing party, state capture clean-up and protection of the Constitution, Ramaphosa quickly proved that he was no different from the people he had accused of attacking South Africa’s founding values.

Under his leadership, law enforcement agencies quickly rounded up carefully selected politicians and officials who had served under former president Jacob Zuma, and hauled them before the courts for various alleged crimes.

While the signs were there all along that Ramaphosa was abusing state institutions to fight political battles, and that some law enforcement agencies were playing politics, it took the theft of huge sums of undeclared foreign currency at the president’s farm, and his role in the cover-up of the crime, to remove the facade once and for all.

Since then, Ramaphosa and his sycophants have changed their tune about anti-corruption, the rule of law and constitutionalism. The president quickly suspended Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane after she sent him questions about Phala Phala. He has refused to step aside from his ANC role and resign as the country’s president after an independent panel found prima facie evidence that he may have violated the Constitution, his oath of office and the country’s anti-corruption laws.

After their initial shock-induced confusion over the report, Ramaphosa’s supporters spread rumours that the president planned to resign, apparently to garner public sympathy, before attacking all the values they claimed to espouse.

Ramaphosa’s supporters club, led by former public protector Thuli Madonsela, has started attacking the panel while the South Africa Council of Churches called on the ANC to keep him. Corruption Watch said Ramaphosa must not resign until the impeachment process is finalised. So much for the so-called corruption busters and constitutionalists.