By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Former president Thabo Mbeki has defended his public criticism of the ANC using its majority to protect President Cyril Ramaphosa from answering questions related to his involvement in the theft of US dollars from his Phala Phala game farm in Limpopo
Mbeki met with the ANC leaders at Luthuli House.
In a statement following the meeting, ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri said the meeting had discussed Mbeki’s letter in a “comradely and collegial spirit”.
“Amongst the key areas of discussion was the matter of constitutional democracy, including the role of parliamentary oversight and how these need to be managed. It is the considered view of the ANC that when all three arms of the state work in step with one another, any matter of national interest gets to be fully ventilated,” she said.
Ramaphosa was not present at the meeting on Tuesday evening.
Mbeki in his letter asked, why the ANC in Parliament had blocked any investigation into the Phala Phala saga, which he likened to the “Nkandla matter” involving former president Jacob Zuma.
Former chief justice Sandile Ngcobo found that Ramaphosa had a case to answer regarding the break-in and theft of $580 000 (about R10 million) from his game farm Phala Phala in February 2020.
But the ANC used its majority in Parliament to block an inquiry into the saga.
Bhengu-Motsiri said the meeting discussed the matter of constitutional democracy, including the role of parliamentary oversight and how these needed to be managed.
STATEMENT ON THE MEETING OF THE NATIONAL OFFICIALS AND FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE ANC, COMRADE THABO MBEKI pic.twitter.com/snZ67gX0Hs
— African National Congress (@MYANC) April 12, 2023
“It is the considered view of the ANC that, when all three arms of the state work in step with one another, any matter of national interest gets to be fully ventilated,” she said.