ANC voices ‘full confidence’ in president implication in election donation scandal

The ruling African National Congress (ANC) has voiced “full confidence” in President Cyril Ramaphosa who is implicated in an election donation scandal.

 Ramaphosa has the ANC’s full confidence in his ability to champion efforts of building South Africa free from disunity and underdevelopment, the party said in a statement on Saturday.

This came after Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane on Friday released the findings of her investigation into a controversial donation to Ramaphosa’s election campaign fund.

According to Mkhwebane, Ramaphosa’s election campaign team received the donation worth 500,000 rand (about 36,000 U.S. dollars) from Bosasa company, also known as African Global Operations.

The donation was to fund Ramaphosa’s ANC presidential campaign in 2017. Ramaphosa was deputy president then.

Mkhwebane accused the president of violating the Executive Ethics Code by misleading Parliament in November last year when he said in the House that he did not know the details of the donation his campaign office received.  

Mkhwebane said Ramaphosa is duty-bound to declare funds deposited into his campaign account because he personally benefitted from the Bosasa donation.

In response to the allegations, Ramaphosa said on Friday that he would study the public protector’s report and make a decision on any further action.

The president reaffirmed his respect for the Office of the Public Protector and his appreciation of the essential role it needs to play in promoting accountability and advancing the interests of the South African people. Ramaphosa said he is committed to fighting all forms of corruption and misfeasance.

“To this end, no person regardless of the position they hold is above law,” he said.

“President Ramaphosa’s reaffirmation of his respect for the Office of the Public Protector and his appreciation of the essential role it needs to play in promoting accountability and advancing the interests of the South African people is consistent with the views of the ANC on all Chapter 9 institutions,” the ANC said in its Saturday statement.

Chapter 9 institutions refer to a group of organisations established in terms of Chapter 9 of the South African Constitution to guard democracy.

The ANC also welcomed Ramaphosa’s decision to study the public protector’s report before deciding on his course of action going forward, which may include but limited to judicial review, the ANC said.  –Xinhua