JOHANNESBURG (AP) – South African President Cyril Ramaphosa faced harsh questions from lawmakers Thursday about COVID-19 corruption scandals, days after he asked the ruling members to join choirs so as not to steal cash from the poor.
Many South Africans were dismayed to see the challenge of widespread corruption in the country that infiltrates efforts to prevent the spread of coronavirus. South Africa has the fifth number of virus cases in the world, with more than 600,000 infected.
Ramaphosa has promised to reform the government’s procurement system, which he says is anti-corruption. “Clearly, this coVID moment has given us the opportunity” for change, he said, promising “a much more effective system.”
It is his first question-and-answer consultation with lawmakers since corruption allegations were made against senior government officials and the ruling African National Congress party.
Applications similar to the country’s $26 billion pandemic social assistance program, which included the acquisition of gigantic amounts of non-public protective equipment, rocked the country. Ramaphosa’s own spokeswoman Khusela Diko was suspended due to the allegations.
Bandile Masuku, the provincial fitness minister at the country’s economic center in Gauteng Province, was also placed on leave after being connected to corruption allegations.
The leader of the official opposition, the Liberal Party of the Democratic Alliance, criticized Ramaphosa for allowing the former mayor of the municipality of eThekwini, Zandile Gumede, to be appointed provincial legislator despite allegations of corruption.
Ramaphosa has been accused of being soft on corruption amid fears that the involvement of too many ANC leaders could divide the ruling party.
The Representative indicated that the affairs of the former mayor and his spokesman are recently investigated through the relevant entities, who will advise him on appropriate measures to take.
After winning the presidency with an anti-corruption price ticket after his predecessor Jacob Zuma was forced to resign amid scandals in 2018, Ramaphosa has been under pressure to show that his government is taking a business stance in the face of the scourge.
This week, his letter to anC party members cited “obvious progress” since the election, but he scolded: “Today, the ANC and its leaders are accused of corruption. The ANC would possibly not be on the defendants’ bench, but he presents himself as a No. 1 defendant. “
The leader of the left-wing opposition party, Julius Malema, in Ramaphosa to abandon the existing hiring formula and create special courts to deal with corruption cases, following the style used to prosecute crimes committed at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Instances of corruption would be dealt with temporarily with this model, Malema said.
COVID-19’s corruption scandals led thursday’s consultation with lawmakers, but Ramaphosa was also accused of the scourge of gender-based violence in South Africa and the country’s terrible economic situation.
South Africa entered recession before the pandemic, which began in March, and its unemployment rate is now above 30%.
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