“He’s conflicted” – Ramaphosa’s tax affairs questioned by Floyd Shivambu

This probably won’t be the last you hear about Floyd Shivambu’s bold interview on Newzroom Afrika this week. The EFF’s deputy president was in verbose form as he tackled issued ranging from land expropriation, to education and the future of state-owned companies. It would be his take on tax avoidance which raised the most eyebrows, though.

Floyd Shivambu raised tax questions for Cyril Ramaphosa

In bullish mood, Floyd Shivambu explained a bill that was being tabled in Parliament, at the request of the Red Berets. After he berated the lack of leadership in the ANC, he claimed that President Cyril Ramaphosa was “a conflicted figure” when it came to talking about his taxes.

“We have tabled the Private Members Bill of the Anti-Tax Avoidance Bill which must be deliberated in Parliament. But the most important factor, is the political will of the ruling party. There is no-one in ANC who inspires confidence, and no-one is working with the Minister of Finance to providing clear alternatives.”

“We have a conflicted President; when we go into detail with these people of what we can do to deal with illicit financial flows, tax avoidance and profit shifting, there will be no concrete solution because it will compromise them – it is ridiculous that SA’s entire mining sector contributes less than R20bn into taxes.”

“The president is compromised”

As the right-hand man to Julius Malema, Shivambu is no stranger to stirring-up trouble. With Ramaphosa sheepishly emerging from a year where his campaign funding and private donations were heavily criticised, accusations about his tax affairs won’t sit easy with him. Perhaps Floyd should prepare to lawyer-up on this one…

#ShivambuOnNewzroom Shivambu: We have a conflicted President; when we go into detail with these people of what we can do to deal with illicit financial flows, tax avoidance and profit shifting, there will be no concrete solution because it will compromise them.

— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) January 20, 2020