PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa says he did not evade answers to a question in the National Assembly on Tuesday about the robbery at his Phala Phala farm in Limpopo.
Opposition parties, particularly the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and the Democratic Alliance (DA), were livid after Ramaphosa failed to respond to specific questions about what happened at his farm in 2020.
“The President is refusing to answer questions regarding Phala Phala, and it looks like he is not refusing to answer questions from MP’s only, but also the South African Reserve Bank,” said EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu.
DA leader John Steenhuisen, on the other hand, described Ramaphosa’s failure to answer questions as “Nkandla 2.0” reminiscent of the former President Jacob Zuma’s refusal to answer questions on the upgrades to his home, while MPs rallied around him to defend him.
But in a statement on Wednesday, the Presidency said it noted with concern claims made in the National Assembly that the president did not answer the question for oral reply on the robbery that occurred at his Limpopo farm.
“On a proper reading of the question, President Ramaphosa did, in fact, answer the question,” said Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Vincent Magwenya.
“The President responded that he stands ready to take the nation into his confidence and that he would do so through the due legal and Parliamentary processes.”
“He indicated that he has responded, and will continue to respond, to all the questions that have been put to him by the relevant authorities. He also indicated that he would cooperate with, and be fully accountable to, the Section 89 process that Parliament has initiated.”
During his oral reply on Tuesday, Ramaphosa said he was ready to cooperate with any investigations on the Phala Phala matter.
“Investigations are ongoing by a variety of agencies and the focus that various agencies are putting on this matter demonstrates the importance of this matter and the way they are dealing with it,” said Ramaphosa.
“I stand here as Cyril Ramaphosa not being unwilling to be accountable. I want to be fully accountable and I am saying once again that it is important, and those who are dealing with these matters have said it is important that we be given time and space to deal with all the aspects of this matter.”
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