Politics

South African President Ramaphosa denies ever stealing money anywhere

Published

2 years ago

June 7, 2022

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has broken his silence following an allegation by a former head of the country’s intelligence agency, Arthur Fraser, who accused him of kidnapping, bribery and attempting to steal the sum of $4 million in 2020.

Last Wednesday, Fraser had filed a legal complaint against Ramaphosa in which he accused the President of “kidnapping and bribing robbers who stole millions of dollars from one of his properties” in a bid to “conceal the crime from the South African police service and the South African revenue service.”

In the court filing, Fraser, a strong ally of Ramaphosa’s predecessor, Jacob Zuma, said he had ample evidence to prove his accusations of criminal charges against the President.

But after maintaining silence for a week, Ramaphosa decided to give a fire back at Fraser following a response from the presidency which did not do much to assuage the feelings of the people.

In a Twitter response to Fraser’s accusations, Ramaphosa confirmed that there was indeed a robbery at his farm in 2020 in which “proceeds from the sale of game were stolen.”

I have never stolen money from anyone. My integrity as a leader will never allow me to do so. pic.twitter.com/CTdnj25w6a

— Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 (@CyrilRamaphosa) June 5, 2022

Ramaphosa explained that as a farmer, he frequently bought and sold cattle and people often paid in cash, but he denied that the amount stolen was anywhere near the $4m Fraser quoted.

“All this was money from proceeds from selling animals… I have never stolen money from anywhere… and will never do so.”

Ramaphosa who replaced Zuma as South Africa’s President in 2018 after Zuma was forced to step down amid corruption allegations, has been having a running battle with many of Zuma’s loyalists after his government decided to clamp down on the former head of state which led to his indictment and subsequent imprisonment.

Fraser who is now South Africa’s head of Correctional Service, got himself into hot water last year when he unilaterally ordered Zuma’s release from prison on medical probation barely months into his 15 months jail term for failing to appear before a judicial panel.

Ramaphosa has made combatting corruption a priority of his government but his efforts have been marred by a plethora of allegations of corruption against him, notably from the Zuma camp.

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Politics

Mauritius’ Prime Minister to double as Finance Minister

Published

1 day ago

November 23, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

In an effort to maintain a tight eye on the economy, Mauritius’ Prime Minister, Navin Ramgoolam, who took office this month following a resounding election victory, said on Friday that he would retain the position of finance minister for himself.

“We are doing an audit of the economy to see to what extent the outgoing government has destroyed it,” Ramgoolam told reporters in the capital Port Louis after he presided over the swearing-in of other ministers.

Ten years after he stepped down as prime minister, the seasoned politician returned to the position when his Alliance du Changement (ADC) alliance won 60 of the 62 seats in the national legislature.

The 77-year-old Ramgoolam said earlier this week that he would be auditing governmental finances. Before this, he was prime minister from 1995 to 2000 and again from 2005 to 2014.

Ramgoolam started a campaign in 2006 to streamline taxes and reduce bureaucracy to diversify the $10 billion economy beyond exports of sugar, textiles, and tourism.

Since then, the 1.3 million-person nation, which positions itself as a bridge between Africa and Asia, has developed into a major offshore financial hub and has been rated by the World Bank as the easiest location to do business in Africa regularly.

Politics

Mali’s junta names spokesman Abdoulaye Maiga new Prime Minister

Published

2 days ago

November 22, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

A day after dismissing Choguel Maiga for criticising the government, Mali’s governing junta named its spokesperson, Abdoulaye Maiga, as Prime Minister on Thursday, according to state broadcaster, ORTM.

A source close to Choguel Maiga told Reuters that the ruling generals were incensed by Maiga’s remarks over the weekend denouncing the junta’s inability to hold elections within the 24-month timeframe given for the return to democracy.

After promising to hold elections in February, the military authorities, who took control in two separate coups in 2020 and 2021, have put off the poll indefinitely, citing technological difficulties.

Choguel Maiga’s firing coincides with indications of growing discontent and disarray among Mali politicians, even those who first supported the coup and collaborated with the junta.

As the wait for elections continues, Choguel Maiga, a civilian prime minister who was installed by the military junta in 2021, is the most recent to lose support.

He was cited on Saturday as claiming he learnt of the junta’s decision via the media and that there had been no discussion regarding the delay of the elections inside the cabinet.

“It’s all happening in total secrecy, without the prime minister’s knowledge,” Choguel Maiga told reporters.

Before then, he had frequently stood up for Mali’s junta against criticism from foreign friends and neighbours in West Africa who denounced its repeated election delays and military collaboration with Russian mercenaries.

As government spokesperson, Abdoulaye Maiga, the new prime minister, has also made strong public remarks against France, the previous colonial master. One such speech was demanding French President Emmanuel Macron to stop his “neocolonial” and “condescending” behaviour.

Abdoulaye Maiga and Assimi Goita, the leaders of the junta, announced they had kept all of the important cabinet ministers in their portfolios in the new administration in a statement that was broadcast on state television ORTM.

The announcement said that Abdoulaye Maiga will remain minister of territory administration.