‘Payment funded campaign’

R500 000: GIVEN TO RAMAPHOSA BY SON ON BEHALF OF SUPPORTER FOR BID FOR PRESIDENCY

Cyril claims he did not intentionally mislead House in denying transaction.

It has emerged that the R500 000 payment President Cyril Ramaphosa’s son received from facilities management company African Global Operations (formerly Bosasa) was used to fund Ramaphosa’s presidential campaign for the ANC.

Earlier this month, Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane dropped a bombshell in parliament during Ramaphosa’s Q&A session on the VBS saga.

Maimane told the president he had evidence of a questionable payment of R500 000 that was made to the president’s son Andile, an accusation the president then denied.

The president said he was aware of the business relationship Maimane was talking about but said it was legally instituted through a company Andile did business with.

“It was brought to my attention a long time ago and I proceeded to ask my son what this was all about. He runs a financial consultancy business and he consults for a number of companies and one of those companies is Bosasa, where he provides services of entrepreneurship, particularly on the procurement process, and he advises both local and international companies,” he explained.

News24 then reported that Andile Ramaphosa denied receiving the particular R500 000 payment flagged by the DA. He said he would welcome an investigation of the matter.

The president said he asked his son about the payments being obtained illegally, which he denied.

However, the president said if it turned out that his son lied about the payments being illegal he would hold him accountable.

Ramaphosa has now issued a correction to his parliamentary reply – claiming he learnt that the money was made on behalf of Bosasa CEO Gavin Watson into a trust account which was used to fund his election campaign.

Ramaphosa said he was unaware of the donation when he responded to Maimane’s question.

He had made the admission to the speaker of the National Assembly in a letter dated November 14, claiming he inadvertently provided incorrect information but had not intentionally misled the House.

“My reply to the question was based on the information that was at my disposal at the time, regarding a business relationship that my son’s company has with the company African Global Operations,” wrote Ramaphosa to the speaker.

“I have been subsequently informed that the payment referred to … does not relate to that contract.

“I have been told that the payment to which the leader of the opposition referred was made on behalf of Mr Gavin Watson into a trust account that was used to raise funds for a campaign established to support my candidature for the presidency of the African National Congress.” –