Ramaphosa and ANC are busy pushing civil right revolt to boiling point
16 February 2021
President Cyril Ramaphosa and the ANC are busy pushing civil revolt against state abuses to boiling point and he must take note that it will not be tolerated much longer.
The issue of corruption and former President Jacob Zuma is but one aspect of it.
The President himself recently admitted that the ANC is Accused Number One when it comes to corruption. And as the head of the ANC and President, he is Number One of Accused Number One.
Last year, Popo Molefe, former chairperson of PRASA, gave evidence before the Zondo Commission regarding a detailed report on corruption and fraud that he submitted to the ANC's Top Six. President Ramaphosa was part of the Top Six at the time. And what did he do about it?
In 2018, the former Minister of State Security, Sydney Mufamadi, handed a report detailing serious irregularities in the State Security Agency to the President. Nothing was done about that either.
More recently, the same modus operandi of inaction was followed with Zuma. After he refused to give evidence before the Zondo Commission, the President said that Zuma must be allowed some "time and space" to reflect on his conduct.
The FF Plus is of the opinion that a jail cell is the only space that Zuma needs to think things over and that the punishment he deserves to serve will afford him all the time he would need to do so.
The FF Plus also has a burning question: Is presidential pardon for Zuma being considered? That would be absolutely unacceptable and the President must be honest with the people of South Africa.
If Zuma is exempted from prosecution, President Ramaphosa would be an accessory to the crimes that Zuma is being charged with.
Concerning the economy, the President made a direct link between economic recovery and Black Economic Empowerment (BEE), which is actually destroying instead of rebuilding the economy.
During the debate on the SONA last year, the FF Plus brought to the President’s attention an example at Eskom in which a simple fluorescent light, worth R26, ended up costing R900 due to BEE.
Just like Covid-19 has mutations, BEE also has mutations. At the Kgetlengrivier Local Municipality in North West, the community was forced to approach the court to obtain permission to repair the town's water and sanitation plants themselves.
And then it came to light that the ANC government allowed the systems to break down on purpose so that contractors could deliver water using water carts and tanks.
He recently also announced that white people will not be eligible for the grants aimed at getting the tourism sector back on its feet, despite the fact that there are many white owners of tourism businesses that employ black people. Thus, black people are losing their jobs because the government does not want to help a white person.
There are similar cases where Indian and coloured people are excluded; for example, Indian people were prohibited from participating in a motor vehicle auction in Durban and coloured people were affected by the events at Brackenfell High School, to which the President responded by saying that it is the EFF's right to protest. It is blatant racial discrimination.
Under the smokescreen of BEE, billions of rand have been stolen from taxpayers. And the public has had enough. If taxes are increased with the upcoming budget, the government should expect a tax revolt.
The public is no longer willing to pay taxes to a government that allows their money to be stolen and squandered – which is what recently happened with the Covid-19 emergency fund.
The draconian and irrational regulations imposed due to Covid-19 also promote civil disobedience, similar to what happened in the e-toll saga. The government itself is fuelling civil revolt against state abuses and boiling point will soon be reached.
Issued by Pieter Groenewald, FF Plus leader, 16 February 2021
