Scopa set to consider Ramaphosa’s response

THE parliamentary standing committee on public accounts meets on Wednesday to discuss President Cyril Ramaphosa’s response to claims he had knowledge about the misuse of public funds during the ANC’s internal campaign for top leadership positions.

Ramaphosa confirmed yesterday that he had sent his response to Scopa.

This was in time for the deadline set by Scopa two weeks ago for Ramaphosa to respond to a list of eight questions by close of business on Thursday.

Acting spokesperson for Ramaphosa

Tyrone Seale and ANC head of the Presidency Sibongile Besani had a week ago, also hinted that the president would send his response to Scopa. They said he would respect the decision of the committee.

Scopa chairperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa said yesterday Ramaphosa had responded to the questions.

He said the matter would now be referred to the lawyers for Parliament for advice. Scopa will meet on Wednesday to discuss the matter.

“The committee programme has been adjusted accordingly and the President’s response, along with the legal advice, will be tabled before the committee at a committee meeting on Wednesday, 16 February 2022,” said Hlengwa.

The legal advice related to certain aspects of the response by Ramaphosa, he said.

The committee met two weeks ago where MPs agreed that questions must be sent to Ramaphosa on his comments to the ANC national executive committee that public funds were misused to contest for positions in the party. This was while the ruling party was engaged in a fierce leadership battle in 2017 in Nasrec.

However, ANC MPs argued at the Scopa meeting that it would not be correct to summon Ramaphosa to the meeting without getting his explanation regarding his comments.

They said it was standard practice for Scopa to write to the affected person before summoning them.

Hlengwa said after having studied the letter from Ramaphosa he had referred it to the legal advisers of Parliament for their input.

Suspended ANC MP Mervyn Dirks first wrote to Scopa last December asking it to investigate Ramaphosa after his comments in the NEC meeting. Dirks was later removed from Scopa.

ANC MP Bheki Hadebe is now the party whip in the standing committee.

Scopa had given Ramaphosa 10 working days to respond to the letter.