The African National Congress (ANC) says its step-aside resolution has not been implemented against President Cyril Ramaphosa, as police have not yet levelled formal charges on allegations of a theft incident at his farm in Limpopo.
ANC’s spokesperson Pule Mabe says, “The organisation has again expressed full confidence in the President of the ANC. You step aside when you are indicted to appear in a court of law and have been charged with serious crimes. As matters stand, President Cyril Ramaphosa has not been charged with any crime.”
“Simply going to a police station and opening a case does not mean that persons are charged. Investigations must be undertaken and the police must then be convinced that there are prospects of success. So those who are coming out to say the President must step aside, the president of the ANC is not criminally charged,” explains Mabe.
Below is the full interview with Pule Mabe:
Last week, former State Security Agency director-general Arthur Fraser laid a criminal complaint against Ramaphosa over millions in foreign currency which was allegedly stolen at the Phala Phala farm in 2020.
Step aside
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has also released a video of two men who allegedly conspired with Ramaphosa’s domestic worker, calling on President Ramaphosa to step aside with immediate effect to allow investigations into the alleged burglary and theft.
The party leader Julius Malema says it has submitted questions to Parliament, to which Ramaphosa has ten working days to respond. They include questions about how much money was stolen on the President’s Limpopo farm, in what currency, and whether the President has stored money elsewhere.
‘Calls for President Ramaphosa to step aside momentarily justified’
Political Analyst Khanya Vilakazi says calls from opposition parties for President Cyril Ramaphosa to step aside are justified while investigations into the robbery at his Phala Phala farm in Limpopo are conducted.
“There is absolutely nothing wrong with the President of the country stepping aside for momentarily time so that the Deputy President can assume the work of the head of state pending these investigations on the matter. But secondly, when you look at the President appearing in front of the Integrity Commission.”
“The Committee has revealed itself of being not partial to future transgressions of members of the ANC. So I think that it will rubber-stamp any and every idea that he will put forward,” adds Vilakazi.
