Ramaphosa makes it clear Zuptas must face the music

Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa left no doubt that once he secures the top post as the country’s president, those involved in state capture, including Jacob Zuma and the Guptas, will be prosecuted.

And all the money they stole must be recovered from them, he added. He said the ANC and its allies must draw a line in the sand on state capture and corruption and put those responsible behind bars.

Addressing the SA Communist Party’s 14th national congress in Boksburg yesterday, Ramaphosa spoke at length about state capture and corruption and their effects on the country’s economy, state and democratic institutions and society in general.

He said the plunder of state resources was designed to benefit the Gupta family.

“We need to recover all the funds that have been stolen,” Ramaphosa said.

He said billions of rands of state money were diverted into the pockets of a few.

“We know that money was diverted into the wedding that took place at Sun City,” Ramaphosa said.

State capture had damaged the country’s economy with junk status sovereign ratings and subsequent recession. An independent judicial commission of inquiry should be appointed without delay to investigate state capture, he said.

“Our law enforcement agencies must act with speed and purpose to investigate all these allegations and bring those responsible to book,” he said.

In an apparent reference to Zuma and his associates, said to have a corrupt relationship with the Guptas, Ramaphosa said ANC members involved in state capture must also face the music.

“We need to send a clear message that we will not protect those within our ranks who are involved in such activity.”

He quoted at length from the South African Council of Churches’ Unburdening Panel report on state capture, saying that, if left unchecked, the scourge could undermine the very foundations of democracy.

“When things like these come out, we cannot keep quiet.

“I am one of those who will not keep quiet,” he added.

State capture, he said, had already left certain state-owned enterprises such as Prasa and SAA haemorrhaging money, the justice department paralysed and the Hawks and National Prosecuting Authority in disarray.

It was critical that the institutions established in terms of the constitution to safeguard South Africa should hold firm.

All South Africans must unite and support the institutions to defend and advance democracy.

“Importantly, as the revolutionary democratic movement, as the alliance, we need to mobilise our structures and our supporters to oppose state capture and corruption in whatever form it takes,” he said.

Ramaphosa lashed out at Bell Pottinger, the British PR firm that has confessed to having sown anti-white racial hatred in the country and divided the ANC on behalf of the Guptas.

“It is a matter of grave concern that a public relations company from outside our country was able to so effectively poison our political discourse to advance their clients’ narrow interests,” Ramaphosa said. – ericn@citizen.co.za