Political parties criticised Ramaphosa's memory loss and said they would not be surprised if Maumela is being protected
Political parties have raised questions about the affiliation of controversial businessman Hangwani Maumela with top ANC leaders.
This comes after President Cyril Ramaphosa again denied being related to the man who the SIU accused of being the primary beneficiary of a syndicate involved in the corruption at Tembisa hospital.
While Maumela benefited more than R800 million from Tembisa hospital, at least R2 billion has been milked out of the hospital by cartels.
During a Q&A session in parliament on Tuesday, Ramaphosa denied knowing Maumela but admitted to knowing his mother.
“Forty-seven years ago, I got married to his father’s sister, his aunt, we divorced 43 years ago,” he said.
Ramaphosa’s controversial walks
Ramaphosa said he had never met Maumela before 2022 despite this family connection.
“I was walking with Mr Sibiya, as we were walking past a house which I saw in construction for quite a while, and I kept asking whose house is this, it is a massive house. I wanted to know whose house it is, and I never got the information,” he said.
He said in 2024, he met Maumela twice outside the same house. In the second interaction, Ramaphosa also had the opportunity to greet Maumela’s mother.
ALSO READ: Presidency denies Ramaphosa Maumela links despite photos outside raided home
Political parties sceptical
MK party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela told The Citizen that the party does not believe Ramaphosa’s version of events.
“First of all, we still believe that it is his nephew and it is Ramaphosa and his party that are number one when it comes to corruption.
“So, we would not be surprised if Maumela is also an ANC member. This is how they operate,” he said.
Ndhlela said the MK party wants Maumela arrested for his involvement in the looting of Tembisa hospital.
“There is prima facie evidence that he is involved in corruption, and the SIU has told us this, so the NPA must move to prosecute this guy.
“And we hope that there will not be any political interference in the prosecution of this case,” he said.
He described Ramaphosa’s explanation of his relationships with Maumela as a “fairytale”.
“The president thinks we are kids,” he said.
Ramaphosa’s ‘habit of experiencing memory loss’
ActionSA national chairperson, Michael Beaumont, told The Citizen that his party also does not believe Ramaphosa’s explanation of his relationship with Maumela.
“ActionSA contends that the president has a habit of experiencing memory loss whenever his couches are found loaded with dollars or photographs emerge of him with tenderpreneurs who have looted the state.
“There have simply been too many examples to ignore where the president’s personal networks appear to reveal an abuse of power,” he said.
ALSO READ: ‘Not my close relative’: Ramaphosa distances himself from corruption-linked Maumela
ATM leader in parliament, Vuyo Zungula, told The Citizen that he would also not be surprised if Maumela is affiliated to the ANC.
“The way corrupt individuals move, they are always linked to the ANC and its leaders.
“I believe Hangwani definitely does have some relations with ANC leaders,” he said.
Zungula said he also does not believe Ramaphosa’s explanation.
“I do not believe him. Initially, he denied knowing him or ever seeing him, but videos surfaced showing him outside his house. His story suddenly changed. It is convenient for him that the story has changed,” Zungula said.
Ramaphosa’s conflicting explanations ‘concerning’
UDM spokesperson Yongama Zigebe also said his party is not satisfied with Ramaphosa’s explanation.
“The president’s conflicting explanations, first claiming a mere coincidence while walking past Maumela’s home and later admitting in Parliament to knowing him through a distant kinship, are deeply concerning.
“This inconsistency leaves a bitter taste and raises questions about transparency and truthfulness at the highest office. The UDM firmly believes that such contradictions warrant a comprehensive probe to get to the bottom of the matter,” said Zigebe.
“Misleading the nation on an issue of this magnitude undermines public confidence and raises the question: what else are South Africans being misled about in this case and in others?” he added.
Is Maumela being protected?
Meanwhile, DA shadow MEC for Health in Gauteng, Jack Bloom, believes that Maumela is being protected by a network of powerful politicians.
“There is no way that he could have pulled this off without any assistance,” he said.
Bloom also believes that Maumela is well known in ANC circles.
“He does not live far from Cyril’s right-hand man, Chauke; they all live in the same vicinity. Of course, they know him,” he said.
He also called for Maumela’s arrest.
What does the ANC have to say?
The Citizen tried to confirm whether Maumela is an ANC member, but did not get a response from the party’s national spokesperson, Mahlengi Bhengu.
The Madlanga commission of inquiry and parliament’s ad hoc committee have both heard how business people associated with the ANC have attempted to capture state institutions, such as the police and the judiciary.
Recently, ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula told the media that the party has been infiltrated by criminals and cartels.
He said that in some instances, these individuals would use the names of certain ANC leaders to gain favours or secure business deals.
He described these individuals as “comrade Tsotsis”.
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