Probe ANC Limpopo warns about plot to oust Ramaphosa

President Cyril Ramaphosa will not be stepping down as he appears before the ANC integrity committee after his opponents sought to have him removed over financial details of his #CR17 campaign in 2017.

Ramaphosa, who survived a fierce attack by his opponents at the party's national executive committee (NEC) meeting at the weekend, offered to subject himself to the integrity committee to explain allegations of vote-buying relating to his ANC presidential campaign.

The uproar over fundraising during his campaign was reignited after he wrote a letter to ANC members last week in which he declared that those facing corruption allegations should step down from their positions in the party and in the government to clear their names. The letter is on the back of tender corruption allegations involving ANC members in relation to the procurement of personal protective equipment meant to fight Covid-19.

Senior party leaders, including Tony Yengeni, had called for Ramaphosa to lead by example and step down as he faces accusations of having bought the 2017 ANC national conference.

However, Sowetan has reliably learnt that a majority of NEC members have agreed that Ramaphosa will not step down as per calls by senior party leaders in the meeting.

The heated NEC meeting is said to have been characterised by the two ANC factions attacking each other, mostly on the letter by Ramaphosa in which he said the ANC remains accused number one on corruption.

Ramaphosa’s letter has angered his opponents, including former president Jacob Zuma who attacked his successor in a letter.

Asked to confirm whether Ramaphosa will have to step down, ANC deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte said: “You are too eager. The president said he will present himself to the integrity committee. There is nothing further to discuss”.

Meanwhile, the ANC Limpopo provincial secretary Soviet Lekganyane has accused the so-called radical economic transformation (RET) movement of making its own an agenda to undermine Ramaphosa’s leadership.

“The agenda of the RET is to undermine the leadership of President Ramaphosa. They defend in a factional way and they don’t support the fight against corruption. We know Ramaphosa has been ridiculed and reduced to [being called] a puppet of the so-called white monopoly capital,” he said.

“This so-called RET grouping wants Ramaphosa to implement certain resolutions of the Nasrec conference and leave others. They demand the  nationalisation of the South African Reserve Bank and economic transformation, but they are not supporting the fight against corruption.”

Speaking at the memorial service of ANC veteran David Peter Malada in Thohoyandou on Friday, Lekganyane revealed that there are intentions to remove Ramaphosa by a certain faction within the party for taking a tough stance against rampant corruption.

Lekganyane said he made those remarks in responding to individuals who spoke before him on the same platform that there is a plot to oust Ramaphosa.

“Those comrades who spoke at the memorial service were alarmed by these attempts and we can’t plead ignorance as the ANC leadership in the province,” he said.

Lekganyane said that the fightback campaign will not see the light of the day in his province.

“We must say it, it is not a secret and it must be known that the fightback campaign will never get off the ground and we will derail it even before it gets off the ground. Ramaphosa is going to remain president of the ANC for the term of office he has been elected ...

“If there is anybody who thinks they can do it, for sure they can do it elsewhere not in this province where I’m the provincial secretary, it will not happen,” he said.