Ramaphosa Denies Meeting Johan Rupert Over Finance Minister Posts

PRETORIA – The office of Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa has issued a statement in response to several media queries regarding the allegation that he had met with business people – including billionaire Johan Rupert – following the appointment of Des Van Rooyen, and the subsequent appointment of Pravin Gordhan, as minister of finance in South Africa.

The allegations in local media had suggested that Ramaphosa met with Rupert as well as others, including chief executive at Barclays Africa, Maria Ramos, and former finance minister Trevor Manuel.

The full statement from Ramaphosa’s office declares:

1. Deputy President Ramaphosa categorically denies ever having such a meeting with Johan Rupert, Trevor Manuel and Maria Ramos or any other business persons to discuss cabinet appointments.

2. The only time Deputy President Ramaphosa engaged himself with the matter of the finance ministry was during the meeting of the top six ANC officials with President Jacob Zuma on the Sunday leading to the appointment of Pravin Gordhan as the finance minister.

3. The suggestion therefore that Deputy President Ramaphosa met with Johan Rupert, Trevor Manuel and Maria Ramos to reverse decisions of the President on the finance ministry is thus wholly incorrect, mischievous and misleading.

4. 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.

5. 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.

The allegations had appeared in The New Age newspaper, a paper which is owned by the Gupta family.