Cape Town - Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane on Tuesday said the chairman of African Global Operations, the company formerly known as Bosasa, has told him in writing that it has asked President Cyril Ramaphosa's son, Andile, for permission to publish the contracts it holds with two of his companies.
Maimane said Joe Gumede signalled readiness to disclose the contracts between the company and Blue Crane and Offtake.
The DA has filed an application in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) to see these contracts.
Maimane quotes Gumede as saying in a letter to him: “We have accordingly afforded Blue Crane Pty Ltd and Offtake Pty Ltd 21 days from today’s date to give written consent that we may disclose the documents requested, alternatively, to make written or oral representations to us giving us reasons why they believe the documents requested should not be disclosed.”
Maimane urged Andile Ramaphosa to disclose the agreements.
"If there is nothing to hide, then there should be no hesitation on their behalf."
He reiterated the DA's position that Ramaphosa's response to a parliamentary question on a donation of half a million rand by Bosasa was "suspicious".
Ramaphosa told the National Assembly he had questioned his son and there was nothing untoward about a contract between his son and Bosasa.
But he subsequently wrote to Parliament saying he wished to clarify his response and the R500 000 was in fact a donation to his own campaign to become president of the ruling ANC.
"This about-turn is highly suspicious and directly ties the President and his son to Bosasa. Both have financially benefitted from a company that has been bribing ANC officials for the better part of two decades," Maimane said.
Sensational testimony before the Zondo commission of inquiry into state capture in recent weeks has told of how Bosasa systematically bribed senior officials to secure lucrative contracts with the state.