By Ebi Kesiena
President Cyril Ramaphosa, who attended Monday’s inauguration of Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa, has come under fire with critics stating that the elections remains questionable and should not be endorsed.
Ramaphosa’s presence at the poorly attended inauguration was criticised for endorsing what is viewed as a rigged election which returned the 80-year-old Mnangagwa to power for a second term. Many African leaders who were invited did not show up.
Ramaphosa has stated that SA does not have any enemies as he used its engagement with its foreign partners to promote its views and values.
Only three out of 16 Southern African Development Community (SADC) heads of state attended Mnangagwa’s inauguration in Harare, but that did not stop the party.
However, Ramaphosa On Tuesday stated that his Cabinet ministers are all innocent until proven otherwise by lifestyle audits, which have been delayed yet again.
Ramaphosa answered questions in the National Assembly, where he updated MPs on the lifestyle audits that were introduced in April 2021.
Ramaphosa had little to tell MPs other than saying that the audits would be concluded soon as he made it clear that lifestyle audits were on his radar.
“This is always upheld when we are doing lifestyle audits,” he said.
Ramaphosa said while lifestyle audits were intrusive, the sensitive nature of the information was dealt with a high degree of confidentiality.
