Mpofu, DA ask when Ramaphosa is taking Andile to the police station

This morning South Africans awoke to the news, following a News24 report, that Andile Ramaphosa had admitted to taking a monthly retainer from hugely controversial facilities management company Bosasa, now trading as African Global Operations (AGO). President Cyril Ramaphosa’s son has owned up to having been paid R2 million by the company.

His company was contracted to carry out advisory work for a few government departments and African investment projects.

ALSO READ: Ramaphosa’s son Andile admits to how much Bosasa paid him – report

It wasn’t long before prominent South Africans brought up the fact that when Mmusi Maimane first confronted the president in parliament on a R500,000 payment his son had received from Bosasa, Ramaphosa claimed the money was legitimately paid to his son for consulting work and that he would personally take Andile “to the police station” if it was found that any wrongdoing was committed.

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) national chairperson Dali Mpofu took to Twitter to share the video in which Ramaphosa says this, asking when National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) Shamila Batohi would “prosecute” the president and his son, alleging that they were guilty of “corruption, fraud, money laundering and perjury”.

READ MORE: Former Bosasa auditor found R500k payment to Andile Ramaphosa ‘strange’

He then said this would maybe only occur “after Cyril takes Andile to the police station”, adding that he had promised to do so “under oath”, presumably referring to the oaths that both presidents and members of the National Assembly are expected to take before beginning their duties.

The official opposition, the Democratic Alliance (DA), soon joined in, simply quoting what the president had said on their official Twitter account: “I will be the first to make sure [Andile] becomes accountable … Even if it means that I am the one who will take him to the police station.”

Many other Twitter users joined Mpofu in sharing the clip and the DA in wondering when Ramaphosa and Andile’s long walk to the police station would begin.

Answering questions in the National Assembly earlier in March, the president refused to discuss how much Andile had received after Maimane pressured him to do so.

“It’s an easy answer. It’s a fairly straightforward answer. The public protector is busy with this whole matter and all information has been submitted to the public protector by myself, a number of people, as well as my son, so the contract that he had for doing work for them outside the country is a matter that is now with the public protector and it is going to be dealt with in that way,” Ramaphosa said.

“If you care to know, there is really nothing to hide.”

READ MORE: Not one word on Bosasa in Ramaphosa’s #SONAreply

MPs in opposition benches objected fiercely, insisting Ramaphosa quantify how much his son made in relation to Bosasa. The president would not bite.

It was during another question-and-answer session that Ramaphosa acknowledged the R500,000 payment, said it was legitimate and made the “police station comment”.

He did, however, later retract his answer, saying he inadvertently provided incorrect information and that the half a million rand was in fact donated to his campaign to become ANC president.

While Ramaphosa has returned the money, or at least attempted to, Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane is now probing the matter and has already interviewed the president.

(Additional reporting, ANA)

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