Maimane wishes Ramaphosa well and pledges support as long as the corrupt ‘see jail’

Shortly after Cyril Ramaphosa was elected unopposed as president of the republic, opposition party leaders in the National Assembly were given the opportunity to respond.

DA leader Mmusi Maimane rose first and congratulated Ramaphosa and new speaker Thandi Modise on their elected roles and called on all MPs to serve the people of South Africa.

“We better never fail them at a moment such as this one. I also want to say to Ntate Cyril Ramaphosa that this election takes place at a time when 10 million of our people are unemployed, when our citizens are feeling unsafe, when our young people need to get through school.

“You, sir, have been entrusted with leading our nation at a time such as this. I want to say from our party and me personally, we wish you great success.

“I wish to say to you that when the decisions you take are in the interests of this country, we will be the first ones to support you. It is also to say that I know when those interests are about shielding those who need to take accountability for the time that has come before us, for those that have looted from our nation, I wish to say, sir, we will be holding you to account; that those members who have looted from our country actually see jail.

“Lastly I wish to say, Ntate Ramaphosa, let this be a season of greater collaboration. We may have been opponents. We may have stood at opposite aisles, but more than anything, both of us are proud patriots of our country and we have been elected to serve our people. And therefore may it be a term in this sixth parliament when we collaborate better, serve our people better, so that this country be the country destined for it to become.”

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.