The Public protector of South Africa, Busisiwe Mkhwebane, is investigating President Cyril
Ramaphosa, for alleged money laundering in donations of more than 400 million rand, to
his ANC presidential campaign.
This is after she scrutinised three bank accounts linked to Ramaphosa, as part of her investigation.
The investigation follows a complaint by DA leader, Mmusi Maimane, after parliament heard
that Bosasa, a company that had dodgy contracts with government departments, had given 500,000
rand to Ramaphosa’s campaign for the party presidency.
If Mkhwebane finds against Ramaphosa, it could provide evidence for impeachment.
Maimane asked Mkhwebane to investigate whether Ramaphosa misled parliament, when he was first
asked about a Bosasa donation to his campaign.
Ramaphosa at first denied the donation, then admitted it.
Mkhwebane’s preliminary report, leaked to the media two weeks ago, suggested she intended
making a finding of money laundering against Ramaphosa.
According to the Sunday Independent, Mkhwebane intends finding Ramaphosa guilty of “inadvertently
misleading” parliament, and failing to declare the donation from Gavin Watson, CEO of Bosasa.
Mkhwebane had given Ramaphosa until Friday 28 June 2019, to respond to the report.
The Sunday Times understands, that the reason Ramaphosa’s office asked for an extension,
is because Mkhwebane appeared to have extended the scope beyond the original complaint.
This week, Ramaphosa’s supporters began a fight-back.
Senior ANC leaders discussed approaching the DA, to withdraw its complaint, and allowing
the ANC to institute a probe into Mkhwebane’s fitness for office.
The Sunday Times can reveal, that the money-laundering finding not only relates to the 500,000 rand,
but to other transactions in three bank accounts linked to the president.
Mkhwebane subpoenaed three bank accounts linked to Ramaphosa’s campaign, after some members
of his team declined to give details of the donors.
She approached various banks, among them Standard Bank and Absa, for statements of the accounts.
These accounts belong to the Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation, a company linked to Ramaphosa,
and the presidential campaign, CR17.
The last account, which was used for the Bosasa donation, belongs to a trust administered
by lawyers, Edelstein Farber Grobler Inc.
Mkhwebane’s investigators analysed the inter-account transfers between January 2017, and February
this year.
The analysis led her to suspect, that the president had used the accounts to launder
money.
She wants him to respond to her suspicions.
“The presidency will not comment on the contents of a section 7(9) notice, as it is
an offence to do so,” Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Khusela Diko, said, adding that they were
preparing a comprehensive response to all the issues raised in the notice.
“This response is expected to be submitted to the PP in the next few days as the PP has
acceded to a request by the president, for an extension, following delays caused by other
pressing matters of state including the state of the nation address,” she said.
Ramaphosa’s long-time friend, James Motlatsi, revealed that it was he who had asked Watson
for money, and that Ramaphosa knew nothing about donations.
Motlatsi said, Mkhwebane asked him who the other donors were.
“I said no, we have taken a decision that each and every donor will remain confidential,”
he said.
A source close to the campaign, and the presidency, said Mkhwebane did not care if the money was
not all used in the campaign.
“Not all this money was fundraised for the campaign.
Some of it is money for the foundation.
But she does not appear to care.
She has identified those transactions she believes were dodgy, and now she wants answers.
My understanding, is that the campaign managers have all these answers, and can account for
almost every cent”.
A second source in the campaign said, the movement of money was “purely for logistical
purposes”.
Motlatsi said the campaign was set up, so that donations would be above board.
“The president didn’t know, and we took a decision that he must not know,” he said.
Motlatsi’s affidavit to Mkhwebane, detailed how he raised the Bosasa donation.
“I met with Watson, and told him ‘I am one of Cyril’s campaigners’.
I said ‘I want you to put money’.
He said ‘sure’.
I said to him ‘I don’t want money from your company’.
He said ‘I am going to donate not less than 500,000 rand’,” Motlatsi said.
Motlatsi said, Ramaphosa “made a mistake” in his answer to parliament.
Mkhwebane used a 2011 High Court judgment, allowing the Public Protector to extend an
investigation, if new facts emerged, to justify her further investigation of Ramaphosa.
Ramaphosa’s allies have asked why Mkhwebane did not use the same judgment, to expand the
scope of the Estina Dairy Farm investigation, which was linked to ANC Secretary-General
Ace Magashule.
“This was not about investigating whether Ramaphosa lied to parliament, or not.
This is not even about the 500,000 rand.
This is about throwing mud at the President,” the second source said.
Mkhwebane’s spokesperson, Oupa Segalwe, declined to comment on the preliminary findings.
He also denied that Mkhwebane had extended the scope of her investigation.
“Mr Maimane’s complaint was three-pronged.
Alleged misleading of Parliament, alleged conflict between the President’s official
duties, and private interests, and alleged money laundering,” said Segalwe.
The president was advised to postpone a special ANC national executive meeting last week,
because “attacks against him would have overshadowed the state of the nation address
in parliament”.
The Sunday Times has learnt, that senior ANC leaders met on Friday 21 June 2019, to discuss
the party’s approach to an inquiry into Mkhwebane’s fitness to hold office.
There are worries, however, that the issue could split the ANC caucus, and that Magashule
would oppose any action against Mkhwebane.
National Assembly speaker, Thandi Modise, referred the DA’s request to institute removal
proceedings against Mkhwebane, to the justice and correctional services portfolio committee.
It is expected to be at the top of the committee’s agenda.
Several ANC leaders said, there had been consultations about the party, writing to the speaker with
its own request to investigate Mkhwebane.
They are also seeking legal opinions.
“The only way a motion for her removal can pass with a two-thirds majority, is for the
ANC to lead the process.
There is already division on the matter, and if you ask ANC MP’s to vote on the DA’s
motion, it will cause further problems.
We know, that there will be some ANC MPs from the Ace faction, who will vote against the
motion, even if it comes from us,” said a senior party leader.
A pending Constitutional Court judgment on Mkhwebane’s application, against a ruling,
requiring her to personally pay part of the Reserve Bank’s legal costs in the Bankorp
matter, is expected to leave parliament with no option, but to investigate her competence,
if the court finds against her.
The Sunday Times understands, that there is disagreement among the judges on aspects of
the judgment, and this has held up its delivery.
The application was heard in November 2018, and is expected to be part of a series of
damaging findings against Mkhwebane.
Please check in the description box below, for the links to the sources of this report.
Thanks for watching.
Please comment, like, share and subscribe.