ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa is heard saying in a leaked voice recording that public money was used to fund certain internal campaigns in the party.
However, he is heard saying he would rather “fall on his sword” than for the public to know that their money was used in certain campaigns, which he did not name.
Ramaphosa leaked recording on ANC internal campaigns
The recording, which has been leaked on social media and published by IOL on Monday (20 December) appears to be from an ANC National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting last year.
Ramaphosa is heard denying claims that his CR17 campaign “bought votes” in the ANC’s national elective conference held in NASREC in 2017, adding that unlike other internal campaigns, no state funds were used.
“Some of the people who funded the campaign were members of the ANC, non-members, businesspeople, both black and white, but comrade Tony [Yengeni] what you should know is that no state money was used, ever. We made it a clear and determined point that no state resources should be utilised,” Ramaphosa is heard saying.
“In campaigns, money is used for a variety of things; we all know that. We also know as ANC cadres that in some cases, state money has been used in some campaigns. We know that; we will not talk about it. To the extent comrade Tony, where some comrades even said that, well, let’s investigate all campaigns and not just one.
“I even said to the officials that I think it’s enough to focus on one only CR17 and I even said because I don’t want the ANC to be dragged once again in the mud when those assessments, investigations will reveal that a lot of public money was used.
“And I said, in this case, I am prepared to fall on the sword so that the CR17 campaign, yes, should be the only one that is looked at, and not the others because the image of the ANC is what I am most concerned about.”
The President alluded to one top 6 official who had said that witnesses from the State Security Agency (SSA) would testify at the state capture commission of inquiry that public money was used in some campaigns.
“I said I would rather they say you got money from this business for CR17 than for the public to finally hear that their public money was used to advance certain campaigns,” he is heard saying.
Nothing to hide
Ramaphosa emphasised that he had nothing to hide when it came to his CR17 campaign, adding that a lot of information pertaining to it, including who funded and how the money was spent, was already in the public domain.
“I have no fear. If an investigation has to be launched by the NEC or anyone – no fear whatsoever,” he reiterated. Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Tyrone Seale, in a comment to IOL, also reiterated the President’s commitment to fighting corruption.
“One of the key priorities of the sixth administration led by President Cyril Ramaphosa is the fight against corruption in the public and private sectors and the building of a capable and ethical state, which includes reinforcing the capacity of state institutions to prevent, disrupt and prosecute corruption where it may rear its head,” he reportedly said.