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Civil society organisations urge President Ramaphosa to give his version regarding farm robbery

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As calls continue for President Cyril Ramaphosa to take the country into his confidence and give his version of events on the so-called Farmgate saga, civil society organisations have added their voice, urging the President to tell his side of the story and not wait for investigations into the 2020 robbery on his Limpopo farm to unfold.

Last week, churches and a number of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) were on the receiving end of criticism from EFF leader Julius Malema, who accused them of remaining silent in the face of the allegations against Ramaphosa.

Malema was scathing in his remarks on what he labelled, the “silent voice of churches and NGOs”.

“This hypocrites of the church are quite now because their favorite is involved now , there is also defining silence from all the captured NGOs who have been parading themselves as an anti-corruption and demanding accountability only from a faction they do not support in the ruling party,” said Malema.

Outa Head of Legal Affairs, Stephanie Fick says she’s is not convinced that the claims made by the former Director-General of the State Security Agency Arthur Fraser will stick.

“If you just consider the facts of the matter, what civil society is doing is waiting for proper facts to come to the fore. I mean to accuse the sitting President of money laundering because he apparently he has money stashed in furniture, there is photos of somethings , the weirdest thing about this is that , there so much hear say. It really smacks in the face of his concrete evidence.”

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Corruption Watch says these claims are concerning and called on the President to speak up.

Corruption Watch’s Karam Singh says: “Its really for the President not to hide behind the notion of an investigation, but to bring us to his confidence. The President has enough credits with civil society and the country with regards to his anti-corruption stance, we have seen absolute progress in certain aspects on the fight against corruption under the leadership of this President.”

General Secretary of the South African Council of Churches, Bishop Malusi Mpumlwana has also reacted, asking South Africans to pray for the truth to be revealed in this matter.

“We were disturbed a bit by the allegations that were published relating to the theft of money from the President’s farm and the alleged aftermath thereof we urge proper and independent investigations with transparency attending to all the matters at hand, for all truth to surface as Jesus Christ says you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”

Meanwhile, the EFF says Ramaphosa should not remain in office, but should step aside pending the outcome of an investigation into this matter.

Phala Phala farm I President Ramaphosa ready to step aside if criminally charged:

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