An ANC MP wants President Cyril Ramaphosa to answer to allegations that state funds were used for party campaigns.
Mkhuleko Hlengwa, chairperson of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa), confirmed on Sunday that ANC MP Mervyn Dirks would be given a chance to present his case for Ramaphosa to be summoned over alleged misuse of state funds for party work.
Dirks wrote to Hlengwa asking that his committee summon Ramaphosa after a leaked recording of an ANC NEC meeting at which the president spoke about the use of state money for certain campaigns in the lead-up to the 2017 ANC elective conference.
“One of the officials said as these people from the state security [agency] testify [at the state capture commission], one of the officials said soon they will be revealing about how money was used for some campaigns, and I said I would rather they say you got money from this business for CR17 than for the public to finally hear that their public money was used to advance certain campaigns,” Ramaphosa could be heard saying in the recording.
Dirks said that the president appeared before the Zondo commission under oath and withheld this damning information. He questioned whether this amounted to perjury.
Dirks will get a chance to present his case before a decision is taken on whether to summon the president or not.
“Whenever a member writes to us on any matter, it receives our attention. The member is given an opportunity to address the committee and make representations. The committee will then decide how we go forward with the matter.
“But the matter is receiving attention as any other matter,” said Hlengwa.
Hlengwa could not give a specific date when the committee would sit to discuss the matter.