Ramaphosa pledges to act in the interest of SA
Opposition parties welcome, but caution president
PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa assured members of Parliament (MPs) in the National Assembly yesterday that advancing the interests of South Africans would be his sole focus.
After he was elected unopposed as the country’s president and given a standing ovation by all parties, Ramaphosa said while he would walk with kings and queens, and work with captains of industry, he would do so “without losing the common touch of the masses of our people”.
The president was responding to EFF leader Julius Malema, who had earlier congratulated Ramaphosa but warned: “We have not elected the Ruperts, we have not elected the Oppenheimers.
“Listen to the collective wisdom of the people elected here, not to white monopoly capital.”
Ramaphosa replied during his acceptance speech: “Honourable Malema, my interest in serving our people will not be derived in serving special interest groups, whoever they may be, you’ve named them.”
He said his mandate would be to focus on the interests of the country’s citizens.
“To advance the interests of our people, who still suffer under the burden of unemployment, the burden of inequality and the burden of poverty, that is going to be the driving lodestar that will lead me.”
Ramaphosa gave a commitment that his new administration would work closely with Parliament and all parties represented in the House.
“As we enter the sixth democratic administration, please be assured of my personal commitment and the commitment of the incoming executive, to fulfil these obligations of seeking consensus, of collaborating, of working together to find solutions to all the challenges our country faces; to create conditions for meaningful social and economic transformation,” Ramaphosa said.
DA leader Mmusi Maimane wished Ramaphosa success.
“You, sir, have been entrusted with the great privilege of leading the nation, I wish you great success, and when the decisions that you take are for the interests of our nation and the people of this country, we will be the first ones to support you,” he said.
However, Maimane cautioned that the DA would hold Ramaphosa to account to ensure action is taken against those who “looted from our nation”. He also called for “better collaboration” between parties. “We have been opponents, but both of us are proud patriots and we should collaborate better and serve our people better.”
Earlier, Malema urged Ramaphosa not to surround himself with “praise singers”.
“We congratulate and hope you will be president of a corruption-free government. There are people who thrive through patronising presidents, they tell you all you want to hear and, as a result, you are unable to make informed decisions because you have surrounded yourself with praise singers,” he said.
Ramaphosa thanked other parties who wished him well, including IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi, who he called a “reservoir of wisdom”.
He said Buthelezi wrote him a message of congratulations, which he would cherish for its heartfelt sentiment.
Ramaphosa’s inauguration takes place on Saturday, at Loftus Versfeld.