Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa has distanced the ANC from remarks by Progressive Professionals Forum president Mzwanele Manyi‚ that the Financial Intelligence Centre Amendment (Fica) Bill would "bankrupt" the ruling party.
The Fica Bill‚ or "anti-money-laundering" bill‚ was unanimously adopted by the National Assembly on Tuesday‚ after initially being referred back to Parliament by President Jacob Zuma.
This did not stop opposition MPs from quizzing Ramaphosa about the legislation and the submission made by Manyi.
During public hearings on the bill earlier this year‚ Manyi described the legislation as an attempt to "bankrupt" the ANC before the next national elections in 2019.
Manyi‚ a former Cabinet spokesperson‚ told MPs that the bill would be used by detractors that he did not name‚ to embarrass and blacklist ANC donors, "so that when we get to 2019, the ANC is as broke as hell".
"We are also going to be embarrassed because of this‚ this is a dangerous piece of legislation‚" Manyi told the public hearings.
Responding to a questions from the EFF‚ Ramaphosa said as leader of government business‚ he never received a submission from Manyi.
"The answer is no‚ I did not receive such a submission. But I want to use [this] opportunity to commend all for the unanimous adoption of the bill. I don’t know what he’s [Manyi] talking about and clearly he’s not talking about the ANC that I lead and I know. The legislation that we voted on will significantly strengthen our ability to track money laundering and money used to fund terrorism‚" Ramaphosa said.
In a follow-up question‚ EFF chief whip Floyd Shivambu was more specific‚ saying Manyi told the public hearings that the ANC was going to be broke as a result of the legislation.
"The question we had asked is that during submissions‚ a member of the public came to say that if this bill passed and signed into law, the ANC is going to be broke, basically intimating that the ANC benefits from the lack of legislation that seeks to combat money laundering and financing of terrorist activities. No member of the ANC in that committee objected to that [Manyi’s comment]. He identified himself as a professional who represents the ANC. His name is Jimmy Manyi. He argued strongly that the ANC is going to be broke if this bill is passed‚" said Shivambu.
Ramaphosa said the ANC did not rely on laundered money.
"The ANC, for its finances, does not rely on money that is filtered into the country by money laundering or financing of terrorist activities. We abhor money laundering…‚" Ramaphosa said.
TMG Digital/TMG Parliament
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.