EFF CALLS FOR A COMMISSION OF INQUIRY INTO ALLEGATIONS OF COLLABORATION WITH APARTHEID SECURITY BRANCH BY RAMAPHOSA

Wednesday, 13 February, 2019

The EFF takes seriously, the allegations made by the leader of COPE Mosiuoa Lekota that President Ramaphosa collaborated with apartheid Special Branch and sold out his comrades, in order to avoid imprisonments around 1972-1974.

As a result, the CIC Julius Malema has written to President Ramaphosa to allow the Chief Justice to appoint a Judicial Commission of Inquiry to investigate these allegations in order to clear the matter once and for all. For a president who believes in openness, accountability, and transparency, we expect that Ramaphosa will not refuse such an inquiry to take place.

The CIC Malema has particularly recommended that the judge who must preside over this inquiry nnust be appointed by the Chief Justice in the same way that Justice Zondo was appointed to preside over the State Capture inquiry. This will avoid an obvious conflict of interest.

Our country cannot be led by a person who collaborated with the Special Branch to condemn Freedom Fighters into imprisonment, and possible loss of life.

Text of letter:

The Office of The President

13 FEBRUARY 2019

His Excellency C M Ramaphosa
President of the Republic of South Africa
By email

Copied: Ms. B Mbete
Speaker of the National Assembly
By email

JUDICIAL COMMISSION OF INJUIRY TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGALTIONS OF PRESIDENT COLLABORATION WITH APARTHEID SPECIAL BRANCH UNIT

Dear President,

During the State of the Nation Address (SONA) Debate on the 13th of February 2019, the President of the Congress of the People (COPE) Honourable Patrick Mousioa Lekota illustrated during his input that in the period 1972 and 1974, you collaborated with the apartheid Special Branch Unit in activities that exempted you from imprisonment.

In our subsequent interaction with him, he further illustrated that there exists sworn statements and affidavits that confirm your collaboration with apartheid Special Branch.

There are obviously attempts from Members of your political party to dispute the fact that you collaborated with the apartheid government to the sacrifice of Freedom Fighters.

We believe that these are serious allegations, and one which should be tested through a Judicial Commission on Inquiry. Since the allegations involve you, we write to request that you should allow the Chief Justice to recommend a Judge for a Judicial Commission of Inquiry to investigate whether you collaborated with the apartheid Special Branch.

We emphasise that the head of the Judicial Commission should be recommended by the Chief Justice because there is already a judicial precedence where the Chief Justice recommended Judge Zondo to chair the State Capture Commission of Inquiry.

This matter is of national importance and it will be travesty of justice because an important office such as that of a President should never have questionable aspects, especially of this nature about it.

We believe that in the interest of transparency, the President will take this request into consideration.

Regards,
Julius Sello Malema
The President and Commander in Chief
Economic Freedom Fighters

ENDS

Statement issued by the Economic Freedom Fighters, 13 February 2019

Update:

EFF REITERATES ITS CALL FOR AN INQUIRY INTO RAMAPHOSA SELLING OUT FREEDOM FIGHTERS

Thursday, 14 February, 2019

The EFF reiterates its call for a Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Ramaphosa selling out freedom fighters. In his explanation today, Ramaphosa has not disputed that he denounced liberation ideas under interrogation. By his admission, police wanted him to testify against Lekota and others; police would not ask him to testify unless he said something incriminating to police about his comrades.

The EFF will be taking legal advice on pursuing the the appointment of a Judicial Commission of Inquiry. Ramaphosa is conflicted and completely emotional about the matter. Thus, an independent body must take the decision; we may have to get a court to force him to appoint a commission using the Chief Justice in the same way we did with Zuma.

Statement issued by Economic Freedom Fighters, 14 February 2019