South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office has denied offering members of the opposition Economic Freedom Fighters ministerial positions in his cabinet last year.
According to presidential spokesperson Khusela Diko on Friday, the reported claims that Ramaphosa offered EFF members cabinet posts in early 2018 were an “utter fabrication.”
“While the appointment of members of the national executive committee is the sole prerogative of the president, and as such, not a matter we would wish to engage in public discussions, the utterances of the leader of the EFF (Julius Malema) claiming to have been offered a Cabinet position, are utter fabrication — peddled for reasons known only to those who spread them,” Diko said.
He added: “The president made no such offer to the EFF. Thus we reject the statement made earlier today (Friday)” by the EFF officials.
In an interview with the press on Friday, Malema claimed Ramaphosa offered him and his EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu Cabinet positions which the pair reportedly “turned down.”
NM/jn/APA