Ramaphosa in the clear as Public Protector finds he did not abuse office for ANC activities

President Cyril Ramaphosa has been cleared of allegations that he used his position in government to advance the interests of the ANC.

Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka released a series of investigative reports on Friday, including two that dealt with complaints about Ramaphosa’s alleged abuse of power and improper conduct in relation to ANC.

Both reports examined claims that the president used his office for party-political purposes.

Public Protector on Ramaphosa’s ANC election campaign

The first complaint was submitted by DA leader John Steenhuisen, who requested that the Public Protector investigate Ramaphosa’s announcement of a government-led jobs and skills programme at an ANC event in April last year.

The event was held in Zandspruit, Gauteng, as part of the ANC’s election campaign in the run-up to the 2024 general elections.

Steenhuisen argued that the president’s announcement at the campaign event presented a conflict of interest between his role as head of state and leader of the ANC, which he claimed breached the Executive Ethics Code.

He further contended that Ramaphosa’s comments may have misled the public into believing that the ANC was responsible for providing the jobs.

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While acknowledging that the ANC was the governing party at the time, Steenhuisen pointed out that the programme in question was a Gauteng provincial government initiative funded through taxpayers’ money.

However, Gcaleka found that Steenhuisen’s complaint was not substantiated.

The Public Protector said that by the time Ramaphosa spoke about the programme on 13 April, it had already been launched days earlier by the Gauteng government in collaboration with the Department of Employment and Labour.

“The information was already out in the public domain.

“There is no evidence before the Public Protector to conclude that the statement by the president communicating what was previously communicated or announced by the Gauteng provincial government and in the public domain, was in violation of the provision of section 96 of the Constitution,” she said.

The Public Protector also found no grounds to conclude that Ramaphosa had breached any clauses of the Executive Ethics Code.

RDP house handover in Northern Cape

The second report focused on Ramaphosa’s visit to Donkerhoek, Northern Cape, where he participated in the handing over of an RDP house to Martha Louw on 1 October 2022, the same day she was celebrating her 82nd birthday.

The complaint, lodged by E Muller, alleged that the president was in the province as part of the ANC’s Letsema campaign and that handing over a government-built house under a party campaign amounted to an abuse of power.

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Muller argued that the use of taxpayer resources in this manner was irregular and unjustified, and questioned why senior ANC leaders were involved in activities usually handled by municipalities.

The Letsema campaign had already faced criticism from opposition parties and the public for blurring the line between state and party functions.

Concerns were also raised about whether the campaign was funded by the state or the ANC.

Public Protector findings

Although Ramaphosa did not respond to the complaint, the Public Protector found no evidence that he conflated his official responsibilities with political interests.

“The contention by the complainant that the president went to the Northern Cape as part of the ANC’s Letsema campaign, which is not a government campaign and handed over an RDP house is not supported by the evidence at the Public Protector’s disposal,” the report reads.

Gcaleka further clarified that Louw had applied for the housing subsidy in 2000, and that the formal handover took place a day before Ramaphosa’s visit, led by provincial and municipal officials.

“The evidence in the form of responses received and pictures from the Sunday Times/TimesLive published on 1 October 2022 indicate that the president visited Ms Louw for the purpose of celebrating her birthday.

“Accordingly, the conduct of the president does not constitute improper,” the report reads.

“The Public Protector considers this matter as finalised and cannot take it further.”

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