President Cyril Ramaphosa clarifies response to parliamentary question

President clarifies response to a parliamentary question

President Cyril Ramaphosa has submitted to the Speaker of the National Assembly a correction to a response the President recently gave to a supplementary question in the House on a payment made to his son, Mr Andile Ramaphosa.
 
The President has requested the Speaker, Ms Baleka Mbete, to share his updated response with members of the National Assembly.
 
In a letter on Wednesday 14 November 2018 President Ramaphosa drew the Speaker’s attention to the fact that while answering questions in the National Assembly on 6 November 2018, the President inadvertently provided incorrect information in reply to a supplementary question.
 
Following the President’s response to Question 19 on VBS Mutual Bank, the Leader of the Opposition asked the President about a payment that had been made on behalf of a Mr Gavin Watson to Mr Andile Ramaphosa.
 
The President has indicated to the Speaker that his reply to this supplementary question was based on information that was at his disposal at the time, regarding a business relationship between Mr Andile Ramaphosa’s company and another firm, African Global Operations.
 
The President has confirmed to the Speaker that Mr Andile Ramaphosa’s company has a contract with African Global Operations for the provision of consultancy services to the latter in a number of African countries other than South Africa. South Africa is specifically excluded to avoid a potential conflict of interest.
 
In the letter to the Speaker, the President states the following: “Since my reply in the National Assembly, I have sought to get more information regarding this matter.
 
“I have been subsequently informed that the payment referred to in the supplementary question by the Leader of Opposition does not relate to that contract.
 
“I have been told that the payment to which the Leader of the Opposition referred was made on behalf of Mr Gavin Watson into a trust account that was used to raise funds for a campaign established to support my candidature for the Presidency of the African National Congress.
 
“The donation was made without my knowledge. I was not aware of the existence of the donation at the time that I answered the question in the National Assembly.
 
“I thought it best to furnish this information to clear any confusion.”
 
Media enquiries:
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