Malema: Ramaphosa ‘lied to parliament’ in a bid to ‘desperately outshine’ Zuma

On Friday, the EFF held a Manifesto Consultation Assembly with role players in the financial sector in Sandton.

Interviewed outside the venue, Julius Malema reacted to president Cyril Ramaphosa’s u-turn on money received by his son Andile from controversial facilities management company African Global Operations (formerly Bosasa).

Yesterday, the president admitted that the R500,000 payment was used to fund his presidential campaign for the ANC, and was not, as he had previously claimed, payment for work done by his son Andile’s financial consultancy. He said at the time Andile had shown him a contract.

Ramaphosa claims that it was a mistake that he incorrectly answered the question, asked by DA leader Mmusi Maimane, as he was unaware of the donation at the time.

“The president ought to have been presidential,” Malema said.

“When a follow-up question was asked [in parliament] if he didn’t have the answer he should have said that the follow up question is not in line with the initial question, because the initial question was [about] VBS [bank],” he continued.

“But because he’s desperately trying to outshine Jacob Zuma he ends up creating an impression that he knows everything including the things that he doesn’t know.”

READ MORE: Ramaphosa makes U-turn on R500K Bosasa paid to his son

“The president must take full responsibility and admit that he lied to parliament, and he knows what happens to people who lie to parliament,” Malema continued.

The EFF leader then went on to allege that the funding of the ANC National Conference held in Nasrec last year in December was not above board, and that more revelations in this regard will come to light.

“The intelligence bosses are releasing information about the finances of Nasrec,” he said.

“Too much money was used in Nasrec, that money was not declared, the president never declared that he has established a trust which was meant to finance his campaign for the ANC presidency,” he continued.

“Only now the president makes a U-turn, why? Because the president has been briefed that the question the leader of the opposition asked comes from the intelligence bosses,” Malema said.

“There’s more coming on the finances of Nasrec,” he predicted.

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