Ramaphosa submits response to Mkhwebane over Bosasa money

President Cyril Ramaphosa submitted his response to Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane on Thursday, after she implicated him in her probe into donations to his campaign for the ANC presidency.

The R500,000 donation from Bosasa was first mentioned in parliament by opposition leader Mmusi Maimane, who at the time believed the funds were deposited for the alleged benefit of Ramaphosa’s son Andile.

Ramaphosa then sent Maimane a reply to his question over the Bosasa payment and what it was for – a reply which he later had to correct.

Ramaphosa sent a correction to the legislature, saying there had been a donation from the company to his campaign for the ANC presidency in that amount, and it was made without his knowledge.

After probing the donation, Mkhwebane made a preliminary finding that Ramaphosa “misled” parliament.

Her office then notified Ramaphosa in May that he was implicated in her investigation for violating the Executive Ethics Code.

“The President’s submission contains various confirmatory affidavits and supporting documents which, in his view, will enable this matter to be brought to conclusion as speedily as possible,” a statement from the Presidency said on Thursday.

According to the statement, Ramaphosa received the Section 7(9) notice from Mkhwebane in May but requested an extension due to “other pressing matters of state.”

Ramaphosa concluded by offering his full cooperation to Mkhwebane as a show of his respect for the office of the Public Protector.

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