Cape Town - Under-fire President Cyril Ramaphosa’s attempts to remain tight-lipped about the Farmgate scandal were met with fierce opposition on Tuesday forcing the National Assembly to adjourn after opposition MPs stood their ground that the president must answer.
Ramaphosa has repeatedly refused to publicly disclose details of the theft of millions of US dollars reportedly concealed in furniture on his Phala Phala farm in Limpopo more than two years ago.
He is also the subject of a police investigation after former State Security Agency director-general Arthur Fraser blew the lid on the theft, claiming the president may have been involved in the cover-up of the crime, including kidnapping, and torturing of the suspected thieves before they were bribed, apparently for their silence.
Ramaphosa never reported the theft to the police as required by law, but instead claims he informed his head of security.
While Ramaphosa partly gave explanation to the ANC elective conference in Limpopo earlier this year - saying the money stolen from his farm was from the sale of animals and was far less than the $4 million that has been alleged - he told MPs on Tuesday he had been counselled and advised that it was best to address the matter when processes by a number of agencies were finalised.
He said he stood ready to co-operate and provide an explanation to any investigations on the matter.
“Investigations are ongoing by a variety of agencies.
“I must say that the focus that the various agencies are putting on this matter demonstrates the importance of this matter, in the way they are dealing with it,” he said.
Ramaphosa said he had responded to various questions that had been raised and would continue to respond to all questions that had been put to him by the relevant authorities.
Ramaphosa also said the most appropriate response was for the law to take its course.
“For me it is important that due process was followed, including the process that is going to unfold in Parliament.
I would like to say I stand ready to co-operate with that process as well and will be ready to be fully accountable,” he said.
But ATM MP and leader Vuyo Zungula said Ramaphosa has not answered his two-part questions and asked National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula to make a ruling if he did not want to reply.
Mapisa-Nqakula said she could not prescribe how questions should be responded to.
“If a member is dissatisfied, there are processes available to obtain further information in line with oversight responsibilities,” she said.
UDM chief whip Nqabayomzi Kwankwa said there had not been an attempt by Ramaphosa to give an answer.
“To say the law must take its course does not address what we are asking and want him to answer,” Kwankwa said.
EFF leader Julius Malema noted that Ramaphosa had said he had answered questions from other authorities, but not Parliament.
“The president must answer,” Malema said.
His deputy, Floyd Shivambu, said the rules of the National Assembly obliged the president and the executive to answer parliamentary questions. “He must respond. That is his obligation,” Shivambu said.
DA chief whip Siviwe Gwarube said if the question was ill-suited in the question paper, it should have been removed.
IFP chief whip Narend Singh joined opposition MPs in demanding that Ramaphosa answer questions, as did the NFP’s Munzoor Shaik Emam.
After a short break, Mapisa-Nqakula said programming of the question was the function of the programme committee after consulting the chief whips forum: “I do not have the powers to make determination on programming.”
Cape Times