Ramaphosa hits back at MPs: ‘SA has the greatest confidence in my cabinet’

President Cyril Ramaphosa has hit back at the DA’s criticism of his cabinet, saying SA has confidence in it.

DA leader John Steenhuisen has tabled a motion of no confidence in Ramaphosa’s cabinet, saying SA needs a new cabinet.

Steenhuisen said a “simple majority” was needed to pass the motion in parliament and only 50 or so ANC MPs need to support the motion for it to pass.

He said if the motion is rejected, it will stand as conclusive evidence that Ramaphosa is a “lonely president”, and nothing more than a “convenient front, lending a sense of legitimacy and decency to a wholly self-serving, useless, corrupt governing party”.

Responding to the debate on Wednesday, Ramaphosa said he had confidence in his cabinet, and so does the rest of the country.

“I preside over a cabinet of ministers in whom I and the people of SA have the greatest confidence and expectations as president and, much more importantly, in whom the people of our country also have confidence and highest expectations,” said Ramaphosa.

He said he would not entertain “insults” from MPs and would rather respond to constructive criticism.

Ramaphosa also hit back at MPs criticising him for not taking responsibility to initiate criminal proceedings against those found to be corrupt.

“MPs should know that the president is not responsible to initiate criminal proceedings against the corrupt. Our work is to capacitate the NPA [National Prosecuting Authority] to do its prosecutorial work without fear or favour,” he said.

“We are working to unify our country in the fight against corruption.”

Weighing in on the report on the probe into the July unrest, Ramaphosa said it was damning.

“The report on the July unrest is providing clarity on steps that need to be taken to fight crime.

“We continue to work with our neighbours to ensure peace and security and that is why we worked with the government of Mozambique against insurrection and the government of Eswatini to find lasting peace,” he said

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