Ramaphosa fights back amid 'dirty tricks' scandal

Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa Picture: Nokuthula Mbatha/ANA Pictures

Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa Picture: Nokuthula Mbatha/ANA Pictures

Published Sep 4, 2017

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Johannesburg - Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday vowed to take the fight to his opponents as the dirty-tricks war in the ANC succession race gathered pace.

Seemingly unperturbed by claims of a sex scandal, Ramaphosa shrugged off controversy around his private life and used a mini-rally held at the Greenhills Stadium in Randfontein, west of Joburg, to hit back at his enemies.

Ramaphosa wooed supporters, singing and dancing as he made clear his intention to fight back. 

The seemingly bold and unperturbed leader, who spoke on Organisational Renewal in the Year of Oliver Tambo, told those gathered that nothing would deter him from running for the ANC's presidency.

“We have been warned that these attacks in the coming months are going to get vicious, that these targeted attacks are aimed at the leadership contest that is now under way and to deter other people from contesting for leadership. 

"We must be able to say that it must stop. It is not going to stop me,” said Ramaphosa to wild applause from the crowd.

He said leaders of the ruling party had the responsibility to renew the movement and to fight factionalism.  

“This is not the way to unite the ANC. We have the responsibility to rid our country and movement of corruption, patronage and factionalism. 

"Some of these attacks are being made because of some of us having taken a strong stance against corruption. We dare not betray the expectations our people have. We must restore our country,” he said. 

The address came just hours after details around his alleged sex scandal emerged following a report by The Sunday Independent and a Sunday Times story in which he admitted to cheating on his wife eight years ago.

Ramaphosa described the allegations as a smear campaign and said state resources were being used in an effort to tarnish his name.

His comments also follow a statement he issued over the weekend in which he lamented the allegations, saying he and his wife provided financial aid to 54 young students – both men and women – on a monthly basis.

“It is unfortunate that evidence of these bank transfers has been used to make scandalous allegations against me and, worse, to make public the names of some of the people assisted,” he said, further pointing out that the privacy of the young women identified as his partners had been violated. 

Inside the ANC, some provinces and branches jostled to release statements in reaction to revelations that the country's second in command had used his wealth to allegedly prey on several women, some of whom include university students.

The Sunday Independent reported that it had documents that show Ramaphosa had allegedly used three emails under different pseudonyms to communicate with up to eight women who he is said to have maintained financially.

The newspaper claimed that one of the women said to have been impregnated by Ramaphosa subsequently had a miscarriage, while another is alleged to have doubled up as his doctor and lover.

The ANC in the Northern Cape said it was disgusted at these allegations aimed at “ruining his reputation” and vowed to continue rallying behind Ramaphosa.

It also called on its branches not to be deterred by the allegations and instead to continue supporting him.

The Sefako Makgatho branch in Joburg meanwhile described images of Ramaphosa and women circulating on social media as disappointing. It added one of the posters included a picture of their branch member Nonhlanhla Radebe, who it said had approached the party to seek advice on how to deal with the allegations.

“Comrade Nonhlanhla wishes to state that she has never had any relationship with the deputy president and has never even met him in her life. She sees these kinds of publications as a desperate campaign against the deputy president's popularity,” it said in a statement.

It added Radebe was consulting with her legal advisers and intended to pursue legal action against those behind the pictures.

The ANC in Gauteng, which formed part of the rally, also showed support for Ramaphosa, who also attended a so-called blousing ceremony held by the ANC Women's League's West Rand region. 

A video clip of the ANCWL members singing “We are ready for Ramaphosa” circulated on social media platforms.

ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe simply said: "The Sunday Independent’s exposé smacked of the Ben Schoeman era and how smear campaigns played out during the apartheid era.

“You can’t smear us and ask us to comment on it,” he said.

When prompted for comment, the ANC Women's League remained mum.

A woman who answered the phone of ANCWL president Bathabile Dlamini asked for questions to be forwarded to her spokesperson.

But the ANC Youth League said the leaked emails were a shocking tale of abuse of young women through the power of money, adding it denounced the "blesser" culture.

It called on Ramaphosa to clear the air on the allegations and avoid the party’s image from being tainted further.

The Sunday Independent’s editor Steven Motale revealed he has been getting death threats.

He also pointed out that Ramaphosa has not denied the existence of the emails.

Political Bureau

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