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1st LD Writethru: S. Africa's deputy president denies colluding with business people over cabinet posts

Xinhua, March 26, 2016 Adjust font size:

South African Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa on Saturday denied meeting with some business people over cabinet posts.

Ramaphos was responding to media queries regarding the allegation that he met with a number of business people following the appointment of David van Rooyen and the subsequent appointment of Pravin Gordhan as minister of finance.

The New Age newspaper alleged this week that billionaire Johann Rupert, former Finance Minister Trevor Manuel and Maria Ramos were involved in the talks.

The report said Rupert had flown out from London to persuade Ramaphosa and other powerful business leaders to oppose the appointment of van Rooyen as finance minister.

Van Rooyen was appointed by President Jacob Zuma as finance minister last December to replace Nhlanhla Nene, a move that created chaos at the financial market. But days later, Zuma removed van Rooyen and appointed Pravin Gordhan as finance minister.

Ramaphosa categorically denies ever having such a meeting with Rupert, Manuel and Ramos or any other business persons to discuss cabinet appointments, his office said.

The only time Ramaphosa engaged himself with the matter of the finance ministry was during the meeting of the top six African National Congress (ANC) officials with President Jacob Zuma on the day leading to the appointment of Pravin Gordhan as the finance minister, Ramaphosa's spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa said.

The suggestion therefore that Ramaphosa met with business people to reverse decisions by Zuma on the finance ministry "is thus wholly incorrect, mischievous and misleading", Mamoepa said.

"Accordingly, it is unfortunate that those who peddled these falsehoods did not find it within their obligation to verify the facts with the office of the Deputy President before setting on publishing the story," Mamoepa said.

"It is our conviction that those who published these untruths will find it within their conviction to place correct facts at the disposal of the public," he added. Endit