Tshwarelo Hunter Mogakane
Former chairperson of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) Themba Godi has condemned ANC members of the watchdog body for failing to hold President Cyril Ramaphosa accountable.
This followed a leaked audio in which the president was heard suggesting he had knowledge of party members who abused public funds for internal political party campaigns but would rather fall on his sword than disclose their names.
Godi spoke to the Pretoria News on the heels of a television news interview in which political analyst Khanyi Magubane stated that she had it on good authority that Scopa has since quashed its intention to have Ramaphosa explain his knowledge of the political campaign funds crimes within the ANC.
Magubane told SABC news that she had met current Scopa chairperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa at a private function, where he told her the Ramaphosa matter was no longer on the table.
The matter was briefly entertained at Scopa level after ANC MP Mervyn Dirks wrote to the committee asking them to investigate whether or not the president should be held liable for failing to report financial crimes committed against the state.
Dirks was instead suspended from Parliament by the ANC and blocked from participating in the Scopa investigation.
In February this year, Scopa voted against sending a subpoena to Ramaphosa, but rather asked him to explain in writing why he should not appear before the parliamentary watchdog.
Upon receipt of his letter, the ANC majority voted that Ramaphosa should be excused from appearing before it to allow the Zondo Commission’s final report to be released so that it can provide them with direction.
The final Zondo report was expected back in April but the commission chairperson, Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, filed court papers requesting a postponement to June 15.
This means Justice Zondo’s final report is expected within the next seven days, including the coming weekend.
Former Scopa boss, Godi, said the horse had long bolted. “What is clear is that the ANC majority did not want the president to be held accountable. As you can see, the Zondo Commission has not said a word about the president despite all the issues that have come out.
There was testimony from Brian Molefe, Matshela Koko and to some extent the late Dr Ben Ngubane and most importantly information on the minutes of the deployment committee of the ANC which contradicted what the president said at the commission. The Zondo Commission was merely used as a smoke screen to avoid holding the president to account,” he said. Godi added that Ramaphosa failed to demonstrate that he was a clean anti-corruption crusader with nothing to hide.
“The president had an opportunity before the nation to confirm his much vaunted stance of fighting corruption and seeking transparency. What happened at Phala Phala now gives us a sense that the president is all talk but without substance. He is no different from no other ANC leader who put the interests of their organisation before those of the nation.
“The matter has been permanently quashed because if the formal decision of Scopa was to wait until the Zondo report is out, well that report is already out and it says the president is smelling of roses.
There was no way out for the president. It is him on tape saying so. If what we heard is out of context, then let him come and explain himself. When he appeared before the Zondo Commission everybody was saying ‘Look at Ramaphosa, he is not like (former President Jacob) Zuma, when he is called to account he comes and he accounts.’ Well, here is an acid test, let him come before Parliament and account. He is refusing.
“He knows how public money is being stolen for ANC purposes, but he would rather fall on his sword to defend the ANC instead of accounting to the public,” Godi said.
Pretoria News