South African president will not step down, says spokesperson

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will not step down and seek a second term as head of the African National Congress (ANC), having won the backing of his allies despite suspicions of financial malfeasance, a doorman said on Saturday. -speech from the president’s office.

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s future was on hold after the publication of a report by an independent committee of the South African Parliament recommending the opening of impeachment proceedings against him following the discovery of millions of dollars in cash on a farm owned by him.

According to this report, the South African president was stolen millions of dollars during a burglary in 2020 but never reported the loss of these sums, raising questions about their origin and their possible concealment from the tax authorities.

“President Ramaphosa will not step down based on a flawed report, nor will he step back from power,” Vincent Magwenya, President Ramaphosa’s spokesman, told reporters via text message.

“The president has taken to heart the very clear message from the members of the ruling party who nominated him and who are asking him to stand for a second term as head of the ANC.”

Cyril Ramaphosa has denied any irregularity and has not yet been charged with any misdemeanor. The head of state explained that the amount at stake was much lower than the 4 to 8 million dollars quoted in the media and that it was revenue from the sale of wild animals.

ANC members will meet in a special national working committee meeting on Sunday, to be followed by a national executive committee meeting on Monday, where they will decide on the way forward regarding the president, said indicated the political party.

Cyril Ramaphosa will dispute the information revealed by the report, according to the spokesperson.

“It is necessary for the stability of our constitutional democracy…that such a clearly erroneous report be challenged,” he said.

(Written by Promit Mukherjee, French version Tangi Salaün and Caroline Pailliez)