Johannesburg - The African Transformation Movement (ATM) says it has submitted its response to the recent interim report by acting public protector Kholeka Gcaleka on the Phala Phala farm scandal.
Last week, advocate Gcaleka gave affected and implicated parties and individuals ten days to make representations after her interim report found President Cyril Ramaphosa innocent of any wrongdoing in the theft of dollars at his farm, which had not been declared to Sars and other public institutions.
In a 191-page report that was leaked to the media, the acting public protector Gcaleka said she found no basis to conclude that Ramaphosa contravened the Executive Ethics Code.
At the time, the ATM said it would study the report and make its representation within the stipulated number of days, and on Tuesday, ATM spokesperson Zama Ntshona confirmed having made its submission to the acting public protector.
"As the ATM, we can confirm that we have submitted our response to the interim report of the acting public protector, advocate Gcaleka, that has cleared Ramaphosa of the gross violations in terms of the Ethics Act. This we did in line with the ten-day deadline we were given. We have directed the public protector to the three volumes of the Section 89 panel report and the public admissions of Mr Ramaphosa for her consideration of the insurmountable evidence of his wrongdoing," Ntshona said.
He said the party is now waiting for Gcaleka to apply her mind to their inputs in the hope that she will be able to do the right thing and rule in their favour, as Ramaphosa was guilty of gross misconduct, including the violation of his oath of office.
The Phala Phala report was compiled based on several interviews with Ramaphosa, his security detail, and employees, among many others.
ATM President Vuyo Zungula said they await the conclusion of the report, adding that they will be guided by their legal team on the way forward.
This comes after the ATM lodged the complaint with the Public Protector in June last year, with Zungula accusing Ramaphosa of violating his oath of office and the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act.
The Star