Cape Town - Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane stuck to her guns on Wednesday that money moved in the accounts of the CR17 campaign for the election of President Cyril Ramaphosa as the leader of the ANC.
Mkhwebane estimated the amount involved to have been R1.2 billion.
“In that estimation I remember there were various accounts, EFG2, FNB and STD accounts, monies were moving from here to there.
“In that R1.2bn estimation you might find that the same money moved twice,” she said.
Mkhwebane also said the CR17 campaign managers who were investigated during the Bosasa investigation had put the amount at R200m while Ramaphosa estimated at R300m.
She was testifying before the Section 194 inquiry into her fitness to hold office.
Mkhwebane told the inquiry that there was movement of money from a trust account created by a firm of attorneys.
“There are various people who benefited and money was transferred into their accounts,” she said before listing some.
Mkhwebane said they uncovered the movement of funds while they were following the R500 000 donated by Bosasa to the campaign.
“We were following the R500 000 and stumbled on it.”
Mkhwebane said her office had involved Ramaphosa in the investigation and he responded by submitting a supplementary statement clarifying the issue of conflict of interest and his obligation to the National Assembly to disclose financial interest as an MP.
In his response to Mkhwebane, Ramaphosa said at the time the donation should be regarded as material in nature on the basis that even gifts above the R350 threshold were subject to disclosure in terms of the code of ethics.
However, the donation was not received by himself, instead, it was received by the CR17 campaign in strict confidence.
“In essence, the donation was not made to a ‘member’.”
Mkhwebane said yesterday Ramaphosa understood that as a former deputy president and an MP he was supposed to disclose his financial interest.
But, Mkhwebane’s legal counsel, advocate Dali Mpofu, said despite the big amount, the public protector was concerned about the threshold for declaration as it stood at R350.
Mkhwebane said Ramaphosa had acknowledged the R500 000 was from Bosasa but when they checked they found that he never declared it.
“He never declared according to the record in Parliament.”
She said it would help the inquiry to engage with Ramaphosa on the matter, but it had taken a position not to call him as a witness.
“It means my version is the only version before you and evidence I present currently was done honestly without any ulterior motives.
“I was doing my work according to the Constitution and law,” Mkhwebane said.
Cape Times