‘Less talk and more action, please!’: DA’s John Steenhuisen on Ramaphosa’s letter to the ANC

DA leader John Steenhuisen has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to jail “corrupt cadres” instead of giving them a “harsher slap on the wrist”.

“In a lengthy seven-page letter by President Cyril Ramaphosa to all ANC structures this morning [Sunday], not once is there any mention of the independent, decisive, and urgent investigation and prosecution of party or cabinet members as part of his so called ‘turning point in our fight against corruption’," Steenhuisen said in a statement.

He said the ruling ANC this week continued to reward corrupt cadres.

“Just this week, former mayor of Ethekwini Zandile Gumede, who was removed from her position last year in the face of a litany of tender corruption charges to the value of R400m, was sworn in as a member of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature costing the taxpayer R1.1m per year.

“Similarly, ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule faced no consequences following the awarding of Covid-19 supply procurement tenders to his two sons, Tshepiso and Thato, to the value of R2.7m.

“This further demonstrates that the ANC’s integrity commission is toothless,” said Steenhuisen, calling on Ramaphosa to lay charges of corruption against his own party members.

“I will be compiling a list of each and every ANC member and public servant facing allegations of corruption in the coming week which I will submit to the president, and which the DA will track very closely to see just how serious President Ramaphosa alleges he has become in the fight against his party’s corruption.”

He said SA required less talk from Ramaphosa and more action.

“When the ANC says it ‘dips its head in shame’ over corrupt members, it is really burying its head in the sand and hoping that SA will forget what it has done.”

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