Ramaphosa denies accusations about the accountability of the Presidency

By Simon Nare

President Cyril Ramaphosa has hit back at his budget vote critics in the National Assembly for their “misguided view” of collaboration between government and business as well as making sweeping statements about accountability lacking in government.

In his reply to his budget vote debate on Thursday, Ramaphosa said although the Presidency budget vote was spirited and at times provocative, some of the points highlighted by MPs in the house were off the mark.

The president argued that some of the critics from the opposing benches who spoke of the scant progress since the dawn of democracy were turning a blind eye on the many successes and achievements.

He said opposition party uMkhonto we Sizwe Parliamentary leader Judge John Hlophe gave the house a laundry list of everything that was wrong with the country.

“At the same time, we should not lose sight of the fact that this