Nkandla - With more pressure being piled on President Cyril Ramaphosa to fully account for the Phala Phala farm heist, and to vacate his position, Edward Zuma has now also added his voice.
The farmgate scandal emanates from an explosive criminal case which was last week lodged by former spy boss, Arthur Fraser, with the police.
Fraser alleged that four million US dollars were stolen from Ramaphosa's game farm in Limpopo.
Backed with video and photographic evidence, Fraser also alleged that Ramaphosa ordered that the suspects, including his domestic worker, be tortured and have the money recovered by the Presidential Protection Unit.
Furthermore, he alleged that the matter was concealed as it was not reported to the police for investigation and arrest.
More revelations show that Ramaphosa roped in his Namibian counterpart, Hage Geingob, to help him to recover the money from the Namibian citizens allegedly behind the heist.
PHOTOS: Edward Zuma, the son of former President Jacob Zuma says President Cryil Ramaphosa must fully account for the Phala Phala farmgate scandal, saying should he be charged, he should step aside. Edward spoke to the @DailyNewsSA in Nkandla a short while ago. #ZumaVisit pic.twitter.com/COh9iCxWUF
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) June 7, 2022
The matter has now raised concerns about where Ramaphosa got the money, why it was not banked, and whether foreign exchange control and tax laws were flouted?
United Democratic Movement (UDM) leader General Bantu Holomisa on Monday said Ramaphosa should temporarily vacate his position while a police investigation takes place.
Now, the son of former president Jacob Zuma says President Ramaphosa must tell the truth regarding the matter.
He was speaking to the Daily News on Tuesday, while in Nkandla.
"Clearly there is something amiss with this thing, and the president must answer to this thing. The president must tell us the truth, was there money?" he said.
Zuma junior dismissed suggestions that Ramaphosa cannot easily be prosecuted while in power. He said the country’s law enforcement agencies must show the same zeal as they did with his father, who, while in power, faced several investigations.
"President Zuma was investigated while in office; there is no one who is immune to such," he said.
On Monday, Ramaphosa's spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya told the Daily News that they still stand by their statement that the President will not comment any further on the matter while investigations are ongoing.
Weighing in the matter, rebel ANC MP Mervin Dirks, who was suspended after demanding Ramaphosa be held accountable for allegedly saying he knew about illicit campaign funds used ahead of the 2017 ANC Nasrec conference, said the president was shifting the goalposts on the matter.
He said questioning the motive of Fraser, who had laid the charges against Ramaphosa, was not helping in any way.
"President, casting aspersions on the person reporting the crime instead of dealing with the crime itself, is mischievous at best and dangerous at worst. We should therefore desist from utterances of an inflammatory, deflective or demeaning nature," Dirks said in his open letter to Ramaphosa.
sihle.mavuso@inl.co.za
Daily News