While addressing the media at the ANC’s National Policy Conference being held in Nasrec, Johannesburg, the party’s head of policy Jeff Radebe kept details of party president Cyril Ramaphosa’s appearance before the disciplinary committee under wraps. He did however confirm that the meeting is not concluded as yet.

“The President has met with the integrity committee regarding Phala Phala farm, but the meeting is said to have not been completed. Another meeting will be scheduled,” Radebe said. 

ANC head of policy Jeff Radebe says President Cyril Ramaphosa appeared before the Integrity Commission on Phala Phala matter. #sabcnews #ancpolicyconference pic.twitter.com/4VFywZS38t

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After allegations that he had covered up the theft of a large sum of money from his farm in Limpopo surfaced, Ramaphosa volunteered to appear before the integrity committee to provide an explanation. 

The alleged theft was reported to police in June by former Director-General of the State Security Agency Arthur Fraser, who accused Ramaphosa of defeating the ends of justice, kidnapping and money laundering. 

The former spy boss claims that large undisclosed sums of US dollars were stolen from Ramaphosa’s farm in February 2020, but instead of reporting the matter to the police, the President unlawfully instructed presidential protection unit head Wally Rhoode to investigate it. Rhoode’s investigation apparently linked the perpetrators to a domestic worker on the farm.

Ramaphosa is alleged to have paid suspects, including his domestic worker, R150,000 each to not reveal that they had been kidnapped and interrogated.

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Another burning issue the party has to deal with is the matter concerning members who have been implicated in Chief Justice Raymond Zondo’s State Capture report. The ANC has identified at least 200 members who will have to undergo disciplinary processes.

In its last meeting, the National Executive Committee (NEC) took a decision that all its leaders, current and former, as well as its members mentioned in the State Capture Commission report, should immediately present themselves to the party’s Integrity Commission. This stemmed from the action plan presented by the task team led by Radebe. 

“Yes, I can confirm that indeed in this 5,612-page report from the chief justice. We have 200 names that look familiar to the ANC. We are now doing a verification process to ensure that we verify these names brought to the secretary-general’s office, as well as to the integrity committee. 

“I expect the topic will be widely debated in this national conference because it affects the ANC directly. As we have seen in the Zondo report, the ANC is also mentioned in very upsetting terms, so our responsibility and duty as leaders and as members of the ANC is to confront this issue and come up with a solution of how we can improve our situation,” Radebe explained. 

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Radebe further said discussions around the immigration policy of the party will see the party drawing up a policy position paper on how South Africa can improve its system, so that there is one overriding legislation that encompasses all issues.

“The immigration policy is coming up for discussion in this policy conference. The Department of Home Affairs, through its Minister Aaron Motsoaledi, has been making a review of all issues of the immigration system.

“The issue of implementation of the policies has always been a challenge but it is an exaggeration that the ANC has not made (progress). There might have been failures here and there, but that is why we have this opportunity now in order to evaluate how far we have gone in implementing our policy position, and whether they are working or not. And what are others that we’ll be able to implement to make sure that we deliver to the people,” he said.

Radebe is confident that the party will be able to manage differences regarding the step-aside guidelines. The ANC has been divided on this rule, with some saying it should be scrapped.

“We are a very democratic organisation, no view can be suppressed in the ANC. We are looking forward to hearing motivations because that’s a position that was taken and also confirmed by the NEC,” he said. DM