A lawmaker from South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) has written to parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) to summon President Cyril Ramaphosa so that he could explain remarks he allegedly made in a leaked audio recording.
Mervyn Dirks urged the committee to summon Ramaphosa to explain the leaked remarks he made at an ANC National Executive Committee meeting in which he is alleged to have admitted knowing about the abuse of state funds.
The lawmaker said he wanted the president to share with SCOPA his knowledge of the alleged misuse of public funds for political party activities which are the subject of the leaked audio recording.
SCOPA confirmed receiving Dirks’ letter but said it would not summon the president – but rather request Ramaphosa to provide a written statement into the allegations in seven days.
ANC head of presidency Sibongile Besani said Ramaphosa had demonstrated cooperation with any requirement for accountability in the past.
“All that one can assert quite firmly is that the President has never reneged on any institution that requires of him to account for what is believed to be his conduct,” Besani said.
He added: “He is one President who respects the rules of the game — the rule of law, in particular, and accountability.”
The parliamentary committee has the powers to summon any person to appear before it when required to do so, using Section 56 of the Constitution which makes provision for the National Assembly or any of its Parliament committees to summon anyone to provide information.
NM/jn/APA