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By Daniel Friedman

Digital news editor


Ramaphosa is no different to Zuma and his actions are ‘illegal, period!’ – Ndlozi

The EFF spokesperson says he hopes taxpayers' money won't be used to finance the president's legal challenge to the public protector's report.


Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) national spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndlozi was quick to voice his disapproval over President Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision to seek an urgent judicial review of public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s report, which found him guilty of having misled parliament and violated the constitution.

According to Ndlozi: “This man is not different, at all, to Zuma. At all!”

“Why not accept that he got money, misled parliament & allow parliament to subject you to a due process? Not declaring money is illegal, period!” he continued, in a tweet on Sunday night.

In a separate tweet, Ndlozi added that he hopes the CR17 campaign – which led to Ramaphosa becoming leader of the governing African National Congress (ANC) and regarding which Mkhwebane found the president guilty of having misled parliament – will be paying the legal costs of the judicial review application.

READ MORE: Gordhan lied to parliament, Zondo about Gupta meetings – Mkhwebane

“Leave taxpayers’ money alone, Mr. President,” he added, before tagging Ramaphosa’s verified Twitter account.

The report, which found Ramaphosa deliberately misled parliament when he was confronted on a donation made to his son Andile of R500,000 from Bosasa CEO Gavin Watson, resulted from three separate complaints – one from Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Mmusi Maimane, one from an “anonymous whistle-blower” and one from EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu.

This is the second report released recently by the office of the public protector resulting from a complaint from Shivambu, with one of his complaints also leading to the report which found Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan guilty of having violated the constitution through his involvement in the so-called Sars “rogue unit” and by allegedly lying to parliament about meeting with the controversial Gupta family.

Regardless of whether or not Ramaphosa is ethically on solid ground regarding his reaction to the report, he is legally entitled to challenge it through judicial review.

According to the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act: “Any person may institute proceedings in a court or a tribunal for the judicial review of an administrative action.”

The full act can be read here.

READ NEXT: Mkhwebane has violated the constitution and the law, says Ramaphosa

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