EFF wants new commission to probe Cyril Ramaphosa 'sellout' claims

The EFF has called for a commission of inquiry into claims that President Cyril Ramaphosa collaborated with apartheid authorities in the early 1970s.

The shocking allegations were made by Congress of the People (Cope) leader Mosiuoa Lekota during the state-of-the-nation (Sona) debate in parliament on Wednesday.

Although Ramaphosa received staunch backing from health minister Aaron Motsoaledi, the EFF still wants the allegations to be probed.

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

The party wants deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo to preside over the inquiry. EFF leader Julius Malema wrote to Ramaphosa asking him 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,” wrote Malema, 

“Our country cannot be led by a person who collaborated with the Special Branch to condemn freedom fighters [to] imprisonment and possible loss of life.”

Malema told Ramaphosa that he had spoken to Lekota after he made the allegations. “He [Lekota] further illustrated that there exists sworn statements and affidavits that confirm your collaboration with [the] apartheid Special Branch. 

“There are obviously attempts from members of your political party [the ANC] to dispute the fact that you collaborated with the apartheid government to the sacrifice of freedom fighters,” wrote Malema.

“We believe that these are serious allegations ... which should be tested through a judicial commission on inquiry.”

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