By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) wants President Cyril Ramaphosa to answer a list of questions in Parliament regarding money stolen from his farm in February 2020.
EFF leader Julius Malema on Tuesday said his party had submitted questions in terms of rule 145 of the National Assembly.
The president has 10 days to respond, according to parliamentary rules and EFF wants Ramaphosa to answer the following questions:
- How much money was stored at the farm, and in what currency?
- Was it the entire proceeds of the game auction, or was there additional money that came from elsewhere?
- Who bought the game, where and when?
- Did he [Ramaphosa] disclose to Parliament and the executive the amount of money stored at the farm?
- Did he alert the revenue collector of such an amount of money?
Malema made a string of allegations against Ramaphosa, accusing the president of money laundering and tax evasion because of the large amount of money that had been stored at his Phala Phala farm in Limpopo.
The EFF played a video at a media conference, allegedly from the 2020 incident. The video shows men sneaking into a house.
Ramaphosa has been under the spotlight since the revelations.
The information was revealed after former State Security Agency director-general Arthur Fraser opened a criminal case against Ramaphosa.
Malema alleged, without providing evidence, that he believed Ramaphosa was involved in a money laundering scheme.
The EFF wants Ramaphosa to step aside while the police investigate the criminal case opened against him.
On Monday, Ramaphosa faced his party amid calls to step aside.
At the National Working Committee meeting, ANC national executive committee member, Tony Yengeni, called on Ramaphosa to step aside, but allies defended the president.
Meanwhile EFF MP Natasha Ntlangwini was kicked out of the National Assembly after calling President Cyril Ramaphosa a “money launder and a thief”.
Toward the end of her contribution in the debate on Parliament’s budget, Ntlangwini said: ” Cyril Ramaphosa must step down, he is a money launderer and a criminal.
“He will never have peace in this house.”
ANC MP Bheki Radebe objected, and house chairperson Grace Boroto instructed Ntlangwini to withdraw her statement.
“My conscience won’t allow it,” Ntlangwini responded. Boroto asked her to leave the house.
Livestream Video Below:
Video Courtesy of EFFSA.