THE DA has challenged President Cyril Ramaphosa to take urgent action over serious allegations of corruption and capture against Deputy President Paul Mashatile.
The party also demand Ramaphosa to fire Mashatile and direct the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to launch an urgent investigation into damning allegations of corruption leveled against him.
The call comes after corruption allegations piled up against Mashatile in recent months in the media.
Some of the allegations involves his tenure as MEC for Human Settlements in Gauteng, his department allegedly paid R134 million to a company owned by controversial businessman Edwin Sodi for a housing project in Diepsloot that did not deliver a single house.
According to investigation made by News24, this was one part out of a total of R828 million that was paid to Sodi by the department for various supposed projects.
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DA leader John Steenhuisen said Ramaphosa has chosen to do what he always does when the people expect him to lead, which is to take the “coward’s” way out.
“It's a clear pattern with Ramaphosa. Instead of leading, he chooses to cower in the hopes that his ANC government scandals will simply blow over. Just as in the case of Nzimande, the ANC has only made some mealy-mouthed comments about Mashatile appearing before the party’s misnamed Integrity Committee.
“But the Constitution and the oath of office Ramaphosa took means this is simply not good enough,” said Steenhuisen.
He further said that the deputy president of the country, who was appointed by Ramaphosa, stands accused of grave acts of abuse of power and state capture.
He said anything less than decisive action will render Ramaphosa complicit.
Steenhuisen said the evidence strongly suggests that Mashatile is engaged in a web of corruption and state capture that potentially even exceeds similar misdeeds perpetrated during the era of former president Jacob Zuma.
“The DA gives Cyril Ramaphosa until Thursday, 1 February to come out of hiding and take action against Mashatile. If he fails to do so, the DA will again step in to lead while Ramaphosa cowers.
“We have prepared a comprehensive docket detailing the web of corruption that Mashatile has weaved. Further action will follow against both Ramaphosa and Mashatile if the president continues to cower,” he said.
