Why South Africa’s President Ramaphosa is now under ethics investigations
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is facing a fresh ethics investigation after the Public Protector agreed to probe allegations of abuse of power and improper conduct raised by the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party, the political movement aligned with his predecessor, Jacob Zuma.
The MK party confirmed that the Acting Executive Manager of Investigations, Veronika Pillay, had notified them that the Public Protector would proceed with an inquiry into claims that Ramaphosa violated clauses of the Executive Ethics Code.
In correspondence shared by the party, Pillay wrote, “The Public Protector has considered your submissions and will proceed to investigate your allegations in connection with abuse of power and/or improper conduct.”
MK party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela said the investigation was critical to “restoring credibility to the highest office,” adding that no president should be “placed above the law.”
The complaint draws on long-standing controversies surrounding Ramaphosa’s presidency, including the Phala Phala foreign currency scandal and what the party describes as the weakening of oversight institutions.
Ramaphosa has previously been cleared of separate ethics violations. In April, Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka dismissed a complaint lodged by opposition leader John Steenhuisen, who argued that the president blurred party-state lines at an ANC event.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
