Andile Ramaphosa: Officials question funding for R6m COVID-19 project

Andile Ramaphosa has played his part in the fight against COVID-19, after one of the companies he co-founded provided ventilation technology to taxis in Gauteng. However, the R6m project is facing questions about where the funding has come from, in the wake of a corruption scandal that has rocked the president’s office.

Andile Ramaphosa’s R6m taxi deal

As Business Insider report, the ‘son of Cyril’ has led the rollout of the technology, which seeks to prevent passengers from catching the deadly disease. All taxis have been told to travel with their windows open, to allow for increased ventilation. This, however, is an issue in winter as temperatures plummet and this type of travel becomes impractical.

The ventilators are fitted to the windows in each taxi, and a plastic partition will also be added to vehicles to keep drivers separated from passengers – the logic being that these operators need to stay healthy in order to ensure commuters can get to work and back each day.

FNB and Bridge Taxi Force are supporting the non-profit organisation, but its status hasn’t stopped the cynics from asking some probing questions. After all, this is an incredibly sensitive time for good governance, following the revelations that ANC cadres have been looting the R500 billion COVID-19 relief fund.

President’s son told to prove there’s been ‘no wrongdoing’

Khusela Diko, the president’s spokesperson, is also facing an investigation after her husband allegedly benefited from an illicit R125m tender disbursement.

There has been no confirmation that the funding Andile Ramaphosa has received for this project came from the government, but the shadow public works minister wants the whole deal to be reviewed. Leon Schreiber says it’s imperative that the full details are released, given the businessman’s previous relationship with Bosasa.

“Did Ramaphosa’s son get any state support in any form for this? Who are the “media alliance partners” he brags about in the advert? According to the company, SDI Force ‘has also been involved in providing food parcels and personal protective equipment’. We need more clarity.”

Leon Schreiber