EFF CALLS ON RAMAPHOSA TO ACCEPT NENE'S OFFER TO RESIGN
Monday, 8 October, 2018
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) calls on President Cyril Ramaphosa to accept Nhlanhla Nene's offer to resign from his position as the Minister of Finance.
The EFF, through the CIC Julius Malema, has written a formal letter to Ramaphosa calling on him to accept the offer made by Nhlanhla Nene to resign.
We reiterate our position that his continued stay as Minister of Finance is not in the best interest of South Africa. Treasury cannot be presided over by a person without integrity. Nene has lied on numerous occasions about his role in cabinet and government. He has also facilitated the capture of the state by the criminal Gupta syndicate. He was party to the most unpatriotic state capture by a family of foreign nationals.
In these difficult economic times, the last thing the country needs is a finance minister with a questionable character and unethical conduct. Ramaphosa must release Nene from his duties with immediate effect.
Text of letter:
The Office of The President
8 October 2018
H E Mr Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa
President of the Republic of South Africa
The Presidency
Dear President,
RELEASE OF NHLANHLA NENE AS MINISTER OF FINANCE
We write to you to advise that you should promptly accept Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene's request to be released from Cabinet. South Africa is undergoing serious economic difficulties and massive job losses, and one of the ingredients towards economic recovery is a credible Minister of Finance.
The unfortunate reality is that both domestic and global owners of money, who are the ones whom you argue should play a role in stimulating economic activity to realise growth and job creation, will not do so under a compromised Minister of Finance. Public servants at all spheres and levels of government will have no obligation to responsibly manage State fiscal resources under a compromised Minister of Finance.
The Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS), which is supposed to be a statement to build confidence amongst all important economic role players, cannot, and should not, be delivered by a Minister who was part of the Gupta criminal syndicate.
The reality is that your Minister of Finance, Nhlanhla Nene, was friends of the Gupta criminal syndicate, visited them often, discussed sensitive State businesses with them, and therefore one of the enablers of state capture and corruption.
During one of the Parliamentary debates, we brought to your attention that the Minister of Finance you had just appointed, Nhlanhla Nene, is not as squeaky clean as certain sections of the media were portraying him to be. We specifically said that your Finance Minister is dangerous, not the type of a guy we all think he is and brought to the fore that we have written him a letter to ask specific questions. As President, you should have immediately acted on the caution we brought to your attention because, as true patriots, we will never ring false alarms.
Despite our insistence that Minister Nhlanhla Nene should respond to the parliamentary questions, he did not do so, and even avoided the questions we tabled via the Parliamentary system. If he remains Minister, he might need to respond to our questions just before the MTBPS and should do so with honesty. The rnost important development amidst all these developments is that we cautioned you as President of the activities of your Minister of Finance, and that was a way of calling for your attention to the wrongdoings in the Executive.
As is being revealed through the State Capture Inquiry and other reports, Nhlanhla Nene is not worthy of any position of trust because he is a scheming Liar who hunts with the hounds and runs with the hares. Mr. President, we have it in good authority that the current public revelations about your Minister of Finance are not complete. There are various other sensitive developments around him that render him incapable of being a member of the Executive.
Under former President, Jacob Zuma, South Africa was subjected to highest form of arrogance of power, intolerance of different views and extreme mediocrity as the underlying leadership style and approach. When we forced Zuma out of office before the end of his presidential term, we wanted to create an environment of renewal of ethical and honest leadership. We have since accepted your Presidency and said before Parliament that we will give you an opportunity to lead South Africa with integrity and honour until the General Elections. It is now your turn to illustrate that you are different from the arrogance and directionless displayed under ex-President, Jacob Zuma.
Your Minister of Finance has no integrity and will not only damage your Executive but will undermine South Africa's prospects of getting out of the economic crises of negative growth and massive job losses. This certainly applies to other Members of your Executive, yet the Ministry of Finance should never have such characters.
It is on these basis that we as the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) write to earnestly request that you should accept Nhlanhla Nene's request to be released as Minister of Finance.
As President, you should use the opportunity of his replacement to root out other compromised members of your Executive.
Our fundamental political and ideological differences should never be a basis of looking down on our constant prudent advice and guidance on areas of national interests. Our patriotism and genuine love for the people of South Africa compels us to always pursue principle and honour.
We therefore hope that you will, as President, show decisive leadership and rid the Executive of compromised individuals.
Kind Regards,
Julius Sello Malema
President and Commander-in-Chief
Economic Freedom Fighters
Issued by the Economic Freedom Fighters, 8 October 2018
