The EFF has lambasted President Cyril Ramaphosa, saying he wasted millions of rands on government imbizos.
The red berets said Ramaphosa had spent and misused R44-million of taxpayers’ money in what the organisation calls “useless imbizo events”.
The party alleged that in only four events that had taken place in 18 months, the government expenditure on the imbizo amounted to R44 million.
EFF spokesperson Leigh-Ann Mathys said: “The EFF condemns the disgraceful misuse of R44-million in public funds on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s presidential izimbizo events.
“This blatant squandering of taxpayer money, which occurred over just four events in an 18-month period, is a gross injustice to the people of South Africa.”
According to Mathys, Ramaphosa’s obvious disinterest and lack of political will to address the pressing issues facing the country made the misuse of public funds not only unethical but also worse.
Inflated costs of marquees
“Despite these events, Ramaphosa has shown no intention of following through on the concerns raised by the people, highlighting a significant disconnect between the administration and the citizens it claims to serve.
“The outrageously inflated costs of the marquees and other expenses being used to host these events are evidence of financial malfeasance.
“This corruption, spearheaded by Ramaphosa’s office, sets a dangerous precedent for other government ministries and institutions in the so-called government of national unity to follow suit.”
She said that her party has in the past month witnessed severe budget cuts across all ministries and portfolios, stating that reductions had no clear strategy for addressing pressing issues or improving the economy and the lives of South Africans.
“This chaotic mismanagement is yet another testament to the ANC’s incompetence and corruption,” she said.
“This wasteful expenditure directly robs the African child of adequate education, housing, infrastructure, safety, and a future.”
Tours to various provinces
Ramaphosa’s imbizos started in 2023, with countrywide tours to the North West, Free State, Kwazulu-Natal, Northern Cape, and Mpumalanga.
Thabo Masondo from Hendrina in Mpumalanga agreed with the EFF that the imbizos were nothing but a way of looting government money.
“Those imbizos are created to enrich politically connected people by dipping their hands in a cookie jar,” said Masondo.
“There is nothing important with those imbizos, as Ramaphosa comes and engages communities in a space where a lot of money was injected to welcome him. This is another way of looting taxpayers money.”
Disebo Mosebi from Welkom said: “Last year, President Ramaphosa came here to Welkom and talked about a lot of things, making promises, but since he left, nothing has changed.
“These imbizos must be scrapped as they are not helpful to us. It is just another way of syphoning taxpayer money that is given to comrades.”
