Cape Town - DA leader John Steenhuisen called on Monday for President Cyril Ramaphosa to come clean and take the nation into his confidence on the millions stolen from his farm two years ago.
Steenhuisen made the call as UDM leader Bantu Holomisa said Ramaphosa should take a two-month sabbatical leave, and that Parliament and an acting president should institute what he described as a "preliminary investigation" into the matter.
The pair made the calls after former State Security Agency director-general Arthur Frazer lifted the lid on the saga when he laid a charge at the Rosebank police station last week.
In an explosive affidavit, Frazer said Ramaphosa kept foreign currency concealed in his furniture at his Phala Phala farm as prima facie proof of money laundering.
It has been claimed that about R62m was stolen and people were paid to keep quiet about the matter.
Ramaphosa on Sunday confirmed the incident but claimed the amount involved was far less.
He also claimed to have reported the incident to the head of the presidential protection unit and that he was not involved in criminal conduct.
On Monday, Steenhuisen said Ramaphosa faced a crisis of credibility and cannot hide behind procedural smokescreens to avoid presenting South Africans with the full truth.
“There is no aspect of any police or other investigation that prevents him from taking the country into his confidence with a full and honest account of events. In fact, he has a special obligation to do so which no other South African has,” he said.
Steenhuisen charged that too many questions remained unanswered, including whether Ramaphosa has no faith in the SAPS or if there were other reasons for withholding the crime from the police.
He said nothing less than the full truth from Ramaphosa would suffice, even if it damaged his public standing, opened him up to possible criminal charges and compromised his prospects of re-election at the ANC elective conference.
“A full disclosure is in both the Presidency and the nation's best interests, while failure to do so will damage both.
“A decision to continue hiding behind the pretext of a ‘pending investigation’ will be seen by the public as an admission of wrongdoing, and will surely make his presidency untenable,” Steenhuisen said.
Cape Times