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Presidency want EFF to withdraw Ramaphosa remarks

EFF leader Julius Malema led his fellow MPs out of a disciplinary hearing against them in Parliament. Picture Credit: Gallo Images
EFF leader Julius Malema led his fellow MPs out of a disciplinary hearing against them in Parliament. Picture Credit: Gallo Images

The office of the deputy president has had to once again issue a statement declaring that Cyril Ramaphosa “has divested from Shanduka Group and holds no mining interests”.

This followed a heated exchange in Parliament on Wednesday which led to Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) lawmakers being ordered out of the chamber of the National Assembly.

The party’s leader Julius Malema and other MPs had suggested Ramaphosa was a “thief” and had profited out of selling coal to state entities.

The statement from Ramaphosa’s office said that his “divestment‚ announced in November 2014‚ is the result of a process that he initiated to remove the potential for any conflicts of interest”.

It went on to state that Ramaphosa “does not stand to benefit personally” from his assignment by Cabinet‚ announced a month later‚ to lead the so-called “Eskom War Room”.

The “War Room”‚ the statement said‚ “is focused solely on the implementation of government’s five-point plan to address the current electricity constraints facing the country”.

“The Presidency calls on the EFF to have the courage of its conviction to substantiate their claims or withdraw them‚” the statement concluded.

Last month‚ the Presidency had to release a similar statement after the Democratic Alliance’s Pieter van Dalen referred to Ramaphosa as the “King of Coal”.

“Shanduka has over the years become the biggest owner of coal mines. Shanduka was the frontrunner in terms of coal production‚ producing 50% of the Junior Mining Sector producer market share. Isn’t it strange that deputy president Ramaphosa is now leading the ‘War Room on Energy’?” asked Van Dalen at the time.

 

 

 

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