EFF vows to come for Ramaphosa, as he is ‘as corrupt as JZ’

President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to face a very robust challenge from the Economic Freedom Fighters, which claimed he is as corrupt as his predecessor, Jacob Zuma.

The EFF, along with Cope, challenged Ramaphosa on the first post-Zuma parliamentary sitting yesterday, saying he did not qualify to be president.

However, he was elected unopposed. The EFF argued that before a president was elected, parliament must first be dissolved for its role in undermining the country’s constitution.

EFF leader Julius Malema said the National Assembly had failed to hold Zuma accountable for the Nkandla saga, and to protect the constitution. Similarly, Cope maintained that Ramaphosa, the entire executive and all members of parliament were found by the Constitutional Court to have violated their oaths of office and failed to uphold the constitution in the Nkandla matter – therefore none qualified to stand for the presidency.

Cope leader Mosiuoa Lekota said all politicians – except those who had not yet taken oaths of office – were illegitimate and not eligible for the presidency, including Ramaphosa. But their proposal was defeated when Ramaphosa was elected unopposed.

Earlier, Lekota said Zuma should be impeached, in line with the Constitutional Court ruling, instead of being allowed to resign.

UDM leader Bantu Holomisa said they hoped the matter would be debated in parliament and voted for. But if the ANC rejected it, they would decide what to do next.

“Usually, the ANC rejects these things and later regret it. With their euphoria over Ramaphosa, they might be tempted to reject the opposition motion – forgetting that people still remember their corruption,” Holomisa said.

The opposition view was in contrast to that of the ANC which, through secretary-general Ace Magashule, welcomed Ramaphosa’s election.

“The ANC has full confidence in President Ramaphosa to build on the foundation laid, and focus the country on accelerating our programme of fundamental and radical socioeconomic transformation.”

Magashule said Ramaphosa would give effect to the ANC’s December 2017 conference resolutions to accelerate land redistribution; the expropriation of land without compensation; and the fulfilment of free education to children of the working class and the poor.

“The eradication of poverty, inequality and injustice in our country must shape his legacy as president,” he said.

Political analyst Dr Somadoda Fikeni said it would be difficult for the opposition to develop a different narrative because the new leadership, instead of being corrupt, was fighting it.

“For a while they will have no ammunition against Ramaphosa, and being a skilled negotiator, he will always find a way to stay ahead of them.”

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