STATEMENT OF THE AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS ON E-MAIL LEAKS AROUND PRESIDENT RAMAPHOSA'S CAMPAIGN

The African National Congress has noted with grave concern leaked emails purported to be giving details on President Cyril Ramaphosa's campaign for leadership at its 54th National Conference. The ordinary session of the National Executive Committee held on the 26th to the 29th of July 2019 reflected on the methodologies for campaigning as well as funding for such activities and resolved to direct the National Officials to look into how these processes may be better managed in future.

To date the ANC has not had a policy on how to deal with internal campaign mechanisms or the raising of monies by individual members or groupings involved in such efforts. The NEC held over the weekend is also of the view that a thorough-going discussion is necessary on this matter for clarity.

The primary authority to decide on leadership in the African National Congress vests with branches who constitute the majority of delegates to any electoral conference across all levels of the organization. The ANC has however noted the public interest and other issues that have arisen relating to the funding of internal campaigns towards the 54th National Conference held at Nasrec, Johannesburg in December 2017.

In this regard, the ANC welcomes actions taken by president Ramaphosa who has acted openly and transparently by providing a detailed account to the public protector on these matters.

The ANC is not aware of any acts of illegality on the part of a campaign conducted by any leader of the ANC, including president Ramaphosa. The leaked emails are therefore nothing but a calculated maneuver to defocus and detract from the immediate task of socio-economic issues and dealing with the challenges of our economy. This is also an attempt to undermine public confidence in president Ramaphosa whose leadership has been defined by moral and ethical conduct.

In discharging his leadership responsibilities, president Ramaphosa has always placed reliance on the counsel he gets from his party, the African National Congress.

Statement issued by the African National Congress, 6 August 2019