By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
President Cyril Ramaphosa says he has noted the public protector’s preliminary report on the burglary at his Phala Phala game farm.
The 191-page report found that there is no basis to conclude that the president contravened the Executive Ethics Code, or “exposed himself to any risk of a conflict between his constitutional duties and obligations and his private interests arising from or affected by his alleged paid work” at the Limpopo-based farm.
Addressing the media on Saturday in KwaDukuza, KwaZulu-Natal, Ramaphosa said he had noted the preliminary findings of the public protector, echoing the Presidency’s statement on the matter.
“I’ve noted the report and that’s about all I can say in terms of the public protector’s rules once a preliminary report has been issued,” said the president.
“The less said, the better because she [advocate Gcaleka] still has to issue a final report,” Ramaphosa added.
Ramaphosa encouraged KwaDukuza residents to register in their numbers and vote for the governing party next year.
He said, unlike other political parties, the ANC was their only hope for a better life.
Support the ANC. “The election campaign has already started now, said Ramaphosa,” speaking in isiZulu.
He added: “Many others will come to you, not knowing what they’re talking about… They think they will remove the ANC from power and take over control.
“Others wear [red] overalls, while others dress in blue. We are telling them that will never happen because our people here in KwaDukuza, and other parts of the country, love the ANC.”
Ramaphosa attended a wreath-laying ceremony at the gravesite of late ANC president Chief Albert Luthuli.
The Office of the Public Protector confirmed that the preliminary findings of the Phala Phala investigation were sent to all affected parties, including Ramaphosa, on Friday in terms of the Public Protector Act.
The office said the complainants and all implicated persons had 10 days to make representations to the public protector on the draft report.
Meanwhile DA leader John Steenhuisen said “The report contains a number of inherent contradictions.”
He said the report did not reflect the complaints lodged and instead displayed Gcaleka’s misunderstanding of “the nature of conflict raised.”
The party leader stated, “what this means for South Africans is that the water of truth is being muddied and that we are no closer to getting to the bottom of this debacle.”
Steenhuisen added that the “leak” of the report, which is yet to be finalised, had been reported as the truth to the public and called President’s spokesperson Vincent Magwenya’s dismissal “premature.”
The party will submit their representations to the office to hold Ramaphosa accountable and bring the truth to light.
Steenhuisen added that the report revealed “a clear conflict between the findings of the Public Protector and the Section 89 Independent Panel” and called for establishing an ad hoc committee into the Phala Phala matter.
The African Transformation Movement (ATM) was disappointed that the media received the interim report. At the same time, they “received somewhat of [a] threatening letter,” preventing them from commenting on its contents.
ATM spokesperson Zama Ntshona said: “The Act prohibits the ATM from sharing and discussing the contents of the provisional report with parties considered not part of the investigation, the media included, as the act views that as an action that will tamper with the process of the investigation as this is a provisional report.”
“This smacks of a well-orchestrated campaign to favour one side whilst a right of response is denied.”
He confirmed that the party is reviewing the report with its lawyers and will present a formal submission to Gcaleka.
In a statement, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) said the outcome of the report from the Office of the Public Protector was “predictable”.
The Red Berets described the report’s preliminary findings as “nonsensical” and “irrational”, and further accused Gcaleka of being captured by the president.
The party accused the acting public protector of waiting for almost nine months to produce the report, saying she stalled its release to the public “because she knew full well that she would produce an outcome that is at odds with basic logic and objective reality.”