South Africa’s president ‘deliberately misled parliament’

South Africa’s corruption watchdog has accused President Cyril Ramaphosa of deliberately misleading parliament

The finding was made at the same time that the country’s former President Jacob Zuma announced he was withdrawing from a separate corruption inquiry.

It’s been a dramatic morning in South Africa as the country struggles to tackle high-level corruption.

First came the news that the former President Jacob Zuma was refusing to continue giving evidence at a public inquiry into the corruption that took place on his watch.

He accused the judge-led inquiry of being biased against him. Judge Ray Zondo disagreed and expressed his disappointment.

Then came a separate announcement from the public protector – a state official charged with exposing corruption.

Busisiwe Mkhwebane said the current president had misled parliament over a donation his election campaign received, via his son.

Mr Ramaphosa insists he knew nothing about the donation at the time.

There is speculation here that the public protector has become a partisan figure – and that a sinister campaign is under way, a fight-back by marginalised elites in the governing ANC, who are looking to seize power.

Source: bbc.com