Johannesburg - The Presidency on Saturday denied reports that Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa was not consulted when David ‘Des’ van Rooyen was initially sworn in as finance minister.
In a statement, the Presidency said on the day of the swearing-in of “Mr Van Rooyen as Minister of Finance, Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa was in consultation with a delegation from the office of the chairperson of the SADC Organ Troika and Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi regarding preparations for an urgent visit to the Kingdom of Lesotho”.
The consultations followed a decision of the SADC Organ Troika held on the margins of the China-Africa Summit at the Sandton Convention Centre which decided that Ramaphosa, in his capacity as facilitator, should visit Lesotho as a matter of urgency, his spokesman, Ronnie Mamoepa, said on Saturday.
The purpose of the visit, according to Mamoepa, was “to convey SADC’s concerns regarding a court case that had been brought against the SADC Commission of Inquiry by a Lesotho citizen”.
As a result of those consultations, the visit to Lesotho went ahead on December 16.
Mamoepa said the Presidency wanted to state that Ramaphosa was involved in all consultations with President Jacob Zuma and all other stakeholders regarding Van Rooyen’s appointment.
“The Presidency is of the view that any other suggestion from the stated facts is nothing but an attempt to create suspicion, sow divisions and mistrust in the highest echelons of government.
“Deputy President Ramaphosa was and remains part of the government collective that sought to stabilise the ministry of finance,” Mamoepa said.
Independent Media
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