‘We’re making a mountain out of a molehill’: Ramaphosa backs Mashatile and Mantashe

President Cyril Ramaphosa says he has no intention to remove his deputy, Paul Mashatile, while he has also defended Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe amid reports of political friction between the two.

‘No plan, no inkling’

Mashatile made headlines recently following reports detailing his “lavish lifestyle” allegedly funded by corruption-accused individuals who do business with the state.

He was further thrust into the spotlight after members of his VIP protection unit were suspended for assaulting three civilians.

The deputy president has reportedly claimed that there was a plot to oust him from office as early as next month.

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Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the ANC national executive committee (NEC) meeting on Sunday, Ramaphosa said it would not make sense to fire Mashatile barely six months after his appointment.

“I had a discussion with the deputy president and I said to him, ‘I appointed you and I’m the only person who can de-appoint you’. There is just no thought, no plan, no inkling whatsoever that something like that could be in the works.

“I would have to have my own head examined to have had a deputy president appointed and thereafter [removed], because I’m the only one who could remove him unless the party decides so and then does that. So there is no truth or substance at all as far as I’m concerned,” he said.

The president said he believed there was no suspicion of criminality in regards to Mashatile’s association with certain people.

WhatsApp messages

Ramaphosa also responded to claims that his special advisor, Bejani Chauke, was part of group plotting to get rid of Mashatile, saying he had also been a victim of fake WhatsApp texts.

“There have being been a number of abuses of WhatsApp numbers.

“Mine was utilised improperly and I think we did issue a statement to that effect because, all of a sudden, I found that my WhatsApp number and my photograph was being used to solicit money from a number of people,” Ramaphosa said.

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He said he became aware of the scam when one of his friends called him to verify the authenticity of the message.

“One of my friends called me and said he just received this message from me. And I said, ‘what message and he said in the message he was supposed to do a, b, c, d about money and I said, but I never sent you that message’.

“Then we realised that my number was being abused and we are in the process of looking at all that. So this social media stuff and all that is utilised in various nefarious ways.”

‘Mountain out of a molehill’

Ramaphosa also downplayed claims that Mantashe defied him after the minister refused to attend the launch of a European-funded green energy initiative last month.

His absence saw an inter-government agreement being signed on his behalf by International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor, according to Sunday Times.

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula said over the weekend the ruling party would back Ramaphosa should he act against Mantashe, who has made no secret of his support for coal.

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The president, however, said the matter was not a big deal.

“We are making a mountain out of a molehill really here. Things were moving very quickly… and as he said he hadn’t really read the agreement, but the MOU [memorandum of understanding] was signed by government and that is the best commitment that we want. It is the government of the Republic of South Africa that signs [off] these issues. Agreements don’t always have to be signed by specific people, we delegate a number of other people,” he said.

“I should tell you that Minister Mantashe is the one minister who has signed more renewable IPPs then any other. He has signed them by the bucketload, signalling his commitment to government policy. So there are no issues,” Ramaphosa added.