Call on ANC to restore confidence in Office of President

17 March 2016 - 21:57 By TMG Digital
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Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) called on the ANC on Thursday to act quickly and decisively to restore confidence in the Office of the President‚ saying it has to either refute claims of offers of cabinet appointments or to take action against those who have made such offers possible.

HOLDING THE LINE: Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan with his deputy, Mcebisi Jonas, and President Jacob Zuma at a pre-Budget meeting. He has shown the mettle, the character of a hero, by standing up against the abuse of power
HOLDING THE LINE: Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan with his deputy, Mcebisi Jonas, and President Jacob Zuma at a pre-Budget meeting. He has shown the mettle, the character of a hero, by standing up against the abuse of power
Image: ELMOND JIYANE/GCIS

The organisation was commenting ahead of a meeting of the ANC’s National Executive Committee at the weekend.

Deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas dropped a bombshell on Wednesday evening by confirming that that Gupta family had offered him the position of Minister of Finance to replace Nhlanhla Nene but that he had rejected it out of hand.

Former ANC MP Vygie Mentor this week also admitted to having been approached by the Guptas to take up the Ministry of Public Enterprises. She said in a Facebook post that the family had made the offer while President Jacob Zuma was in the room next door.

The Presidency meanwhile moved to deny the accusations‚ saying the President had no recollection of who Mentor was.

And on Thursday Minister for Public Service and Administration Ngoako Ramatlhodi disclosed that shortly after his appointment as Minister of Mineral Resources‚ the Guptas had invited him for dinner at their home in Saxonwold but that he had declined the invitation.

Claims have also been made‚ by among others‚ EFF leader Julius Malema‚ that Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula was told of his appointment as minister by the Gupta family.

In a statement on Thursday evening‚ BLSA stated: “The ANC as ruling party has a responsibility to either refute the claims of the Deputy Minister Jonas of offers of cabinet appointments‚ together with others who have made similar claims. If these claims cannot be refuted then steps must be taken against those who have made such offers possible.

“We call upon the ruling party to act quickly and decisively to restore confidence in the Office of the President; to protect South Africa's constitutional democracy; and to promote the rule of law and the wellbeing of all South Africans.”

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