South African President Cyril Ramaphosa should step down from office until corruption allegations against him are resolved, an opposition Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party official charged on Tuesday.
EFF spokesperson Vuyani Pambo said this in response to the president’s letter to fellow ruling African National Congress (ANC) members in which he urge them to end corruption, especially the current abuse of tenders for Covid-19 personal protective equipment.
In the letter on Monday, Ramaphosa urged party officials involved in the abuses to step down from public offices in government or relinquish their party roles till the allegations against them were cleared.
However, Pambo said the president’s the letter to ANC officials was “nothing but cheap posturing” due to the South African leader’s own baggage which he has not been forthcoming in clearing it with government.
“It is hypocritical for Ramaphosa to call for members of the ANC to step aside from public office should they be accused of corruption,” Pambo said.
He added: “Ramaphosa calls for disassociation from anyone accused of corruption by his party yet he stands accused of corruption by a Chapter 9 institution (Public Protector).”
The opposition official said Ramaphosa has “no moral authority to speak against corruption while he fights tooth and nail to conceal documents which implicates big business and allegedly judges in buying his Presidency.”
ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe, however, said the organisation was “serious about rooting out corruption” from among its ranks and the country as a whole.
NM/jn/APA