News24.com | \'I’ll talk to them later\' - Ramaphosa snubs media on Ekurhuleni campaign trail

'I’ll talk to them later' - Ramaphosa snubs media on Ekurhuleni campaign trail

2019-03-28 22:07

Tshidi Madia

President Cyril Ramaphosa (Tshidi Madia, News24)

President Cyril Ramaphosa (Tshidi Madia, News24)

Multimedia   ·   User Galleries   ·   News in Pictures Send us your pictures  ·  Send us your stories

An ANC delegation led by President Cyril Ramaphosa returned to Gauteng's East Rand, this time in Tembisa, in an attempt to garner support for the governing party ahead of the elections.

Ramaphosa, who conducted door-to-door campaigns, paid the Voice of Tembisa radio station a visit and attended a mini rally, but refused to speak to journalists who were trailing him on the campaign.

This is the first time the president has taken to the streets since News24's exclusive relating to contracts his son's company had with corruption-tainted facilities management company Bosasa.

According to the report, Andile Ramaphosa's company, Blue Crane Capital, netted R2m in advisory fees since February 2018.

Journalists who asked to speak to the president were first told by the head of the Presidency, Zizi Kodwa, to wait for him at one of the houses he would be visiting.

However, when Ramaphosa made his way out of that home, he walked past journalists who called for his attention.

Kodwa then committed to make sure Ramaphosa would speak to the media at the Sethokga Park in Tembisa.

After that event, the president also refused to acknowledge journalists who sought his attention.

"I'll talk to them later," the president said to Kodwa when journalists approached him.

While on stage, the president promised to address some of the concerns raised by community members, many of whom did not dash for shelter when the rain came down.

The ANC also paraded 120 supporters it claimed were ANC members who deflected to the EFF and were now returning to their political home.

Bosasa chief operating officer Angelo Agrizzi testified at the state capture commission on Thursday that he knew of millions of rands that were sent to the ANC's top 6.

Previously, it emerged in Parliament that Bosasa had made a R500 000 donation to a trust fund run by Ramaphosa's supporters during his campaign for the ANC presidency.

The presidency has since said in a statement that Ramaphosa had no knowledge of the donation and that his son's dealings with Bosasa were not linked to that matter.