STATEMENT BY DEPUTY PRESIDENT CYRIL
RAMAPHOSA ON INVASION OF PRIVACY
In response to questions put to him by the Sunday
Independent which have been circulating on social media
since Friday 1 September 2017 Deputy President Cyril
Ramaphosa has made the following statement:
It has come to my attention, through questions that were
sent to me by the editor of a Sunday newspaper, that a
number of emails from my private email account have been
illegally obtained and provided to at least one media outlet.
From the nature and tone of the questions, it is clear that
the intention of obtaining the emails and then providing
them to the media was to discredit my person.
I will not comment in public on private matters.
I do feel compelled however to respond to deeply disturbing
suggestions that I paid money to several young women with
whom I was supposedly in relationships. There are 54 young
students both men and women that my wife and I provide
nancial assistance to on a monthly basis and have done so
for several years. It is unfortunate that evidence of these
bank transfers have been used to make scandalous
allegations against me and, worse, to make public the names
of some of the people assisted.
We nd it disturbing that the privacy of these young women
has been violated through the publication of their names and
pictures on social media. It shows a callous disregard for the
rights of the individual.
This latest episode extends far beyond an attempt at
political smear. It represents an escalation of a dirty war
against those who are working to restore the values,
principles and integrity of the African National Congress and
society.
Resembling in many ways the stratkom techniques of the
apartheid-era, we have seen in recent weeks a number of
attempts at disinformation directed at me and people with
whom I am associated. These activities need to be seen
within a broader campaign that has targeted several political
leaders, trade unionists, journalists and civil society activists.
Nearly all the people that have been targeted in this way
have taken a public stand against the capture of our state
institutions by outside interests and the looting of public
resources.
It is evident that there is a well-resourced, coordinated
covert operation underway to prevent those responsible for
wrongdoing from being held to account and for the integrity
of our law enforcement agencies and other state institutions
to be restored.
This operation appears to have access to resources within
intelligence circles with the capability to intercept
communications and hack private emails.
We now need to confront the likelihood that state agencies
and resources are being abused to promote factional
political agendas. We also need to confront the reality that
those behind these agendas will go to any length to protect
themselves and their interests.
We need to ask who these people are. And on whose behalf
they act.
As the ANCs 54th National Conference approaches, this
campaign will intensify. It is imperative that members of the
ANC and Alliance formations remain vigilant against
deliberate eorts to sow confusion and disunity.
South Africans from across the political spectrum need to
resist all eorts to forestall the social and economic renewal
of our country.
We call on journalists in particular to exercise caution when
receiving information and be circumspect in the manner in
which they handle the information. It is a concern that
questions sent to a person by a journalist were circulated
publicly before the questions have even been responded to.
This type of behaviour can no longer be referred to as
journalism.
If the intention of this campaign is to weaken the resolve of
those ghting to revitalise the ANC and unite our country, it
has failed.
I am now even more convinced that our movement, the
African National Congress, needs to be restored to its rightful
owners, the people of South Africa.
I am even more convinced that those who have facilitated
the capture of our state institutions and have beneted from
the looting of public resources should be held accountable
for their actions.
I am even more convinced that the time has come for the
membership of the ANC to restore the organisation as a
genuine movement of the people.
As a leader, as an individual and as a member of a collective,
my resolve to contribute to the achievement of that renewal
is undiminished.
We will not be diverted from doing what is right for our
country and our people.
ISSUED BY THE PRESIDENCY
02 September 2017