[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who has been embroiled in bribery allegations after it was revealed that he was robbed of cash bundles exceeding 5 billion won, stated that he has no intention of resigning despite facing impeachment threats.
On the 3rd (local time), BBC and other outlets reported this citing the presidential office spokesperson. Vincent Magwenya, the spokesperson, said in a text message sent to reporters that they will continue to fight and aim for Ramaphosa to be re-elected at the African National Congress (ANC) party conference scheduled for the 16th, rather than resigning.
President Ramaphosa faced impeachment threats after it was revealed in June through a whistleblower report by former State Security Agency (SSA) head Arthur Fraser that in 2020, cash bundles worth 4 million dollars (approximately 5.2 billion won) were kept at his farm and nearly stolen by robbers. Particularly, on the 30th of last month, an independent panel investigation report was submitted to the South African Parliament stating that "contrary to the presidential oath, the law and constitution may have been violated," opening the possibility of an impeachment vote in Parliament.
The three-member independent panel, formed in September to advise Parliament, has been investigating whether President Ramaphosa seriously violated the constitution. In a 138-page written explanation submitted to the panel, Ramaphosa clarified that the amount stolen from his farm was not over 4 million dollars as alleged, but 580,000 dollars. He also explained that this fund was payment for buffalo sold to Mustafa Mohamed Ibrahim Hazim, a Sudanese businessman, at the end of 2019.
However, the independent panel, which includes a former Constitutional Court chief justice, evaluated that since Ibrahim Hazim's identity could not be verified, it was impossible to confirm whether the foreign currency bundles in question were indeed payment for buffalo sales.
At 70 years old, President Ramaphosa will automatically be re-elected president if he is re-elected as party leader and the ANC wins the 2024 general election. The ANC plans to hold an emergency meeting on the 4th followed by a national executive committee meeting on the 5th to discuss Ramaphosa's future course.
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