By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has appeared before the party’s ethics body in Houghton on Tuesday to explain the alleged robbery at his Phala Phala game farm in Bela Bela in Limpopo in 2020.
Ramaphosa told the committee members that he had been instructed by his lawyers and the Office of the Public Protector not to say anything until the investigations were concluded.
Integrity commission chair George Mashamba, who is a delegate at the ANC’s policy conference at Nasrec, on Friday confirmed that Ramaphosa had appeared before the committee on Tuesday.
Mashamba didn’t reveal much about the discussions, needless to say the process was smooth.
Ramaphosa indicated his availability to appear before the commission soon after former spy chief Arthur Fraser alleged in an affidavit that the president had interfered with an investigation into the theft of about $4m in cash, concealed in furniture at his home in Phala Phala.
His appearance before the commission came days after he submitted written answers to the office of the public protector, in relation to that institution’s Phala Phala investigation.
The suspended Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane also threatened to subpoena him to testify on the alleged theft at his Phala Phala farm.
It also came days before the start of the ANC’s three-day policy conference which is currently underway and Fullview understand the president is expected to appear again next week before the party’s integrity commission.
We have since learned that the commission still wants to engage the president again on the matter before it can draft a report for the National Executive Committee which is the highest decision making body.
Our sources also told us there were calls for the commission to account directly to the National Working Committee (NWC).
“The NWC wants the integrity commission to come and account directly to it, said the source. Meanwhile the NWC is expected to meet next week Tuesday.
Ramaphosa is being investigated by several law enforcement agencies, including the Hawks, as well as the public protector.