ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu outside the Cape Town International Convention Centre. Image: Youtube
On Friday, president Cyril Ramaphosa did a u-turn on the reason he’d given, in answer to questions in parliament asked by DA leader Mmusi Maimane, for why half a million rand had been paid to his son Andile by controversial facilities management company African Global Operations (formerly Bosasa).
While the president said at the time that the money was payment for work done by Andile’s financial consultancy, for which he’d even seen a contract, he has now said that the money was in fact a donation for his presidential campaign.
Ramaphosa has pleaded ignorance and innocence, saying his earlier incorrect explanation of the payment was a mistake, as he did not know about the donation at the time.
But while many have expressed suspicion regarding the change in the president’s story, ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu has found a positive spin on it.
READ MORE: Ramaphosa makes U-turn on R500K Bosasa paid to his son
According to Mthembu, when Ramaphosa “realised that he had given an incorrect answer” in parliament, “he retracted the answer.”
“He truthfully and honestly took parliament into his confidence and gave the correct answer today,” Mthembu continued. “Only a true leader can do this. I believe him.”
Later, Mthembu said that the many likes and retweets he’d received for the tweet proved that many South Africans also agreed with the “sincerity” of the president.
“They too believe in our president. Thank you for your trust in him,” he said.
Not everyone shares the chief whip’s view.
“What initially looked like a dodgy payment to his son, Andile, was in fact a dodgy payment to him,” was DA leader Mmusi Maimane’s reaction.
EFF leader Julius Malema, meanwhile, said in an interview that the president must admit that he lied in parliament.
The hashtag #RamaphosaLiedInParliament has also been gaining traction.
It has been reported this morning that the opposition has called for the matter to be probed.
For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.
Download our app and read this and other great stories on the move. Available for Android and iOS.
