Ramaphosa pledges to fight corruption

Cyril Ramaphosa, the new leader of South Africa’s governing ANC party, said on Thursday (December 21) he aims to stamp out corruption and pursue a policy of “radical economic transformation” that will speed up expropriation of land without compensation.

Ramaphosa, a 65-year-old union leader who became a businessman and is now one of South Africa’s richest people, is likely to become the country’s next president after elections in 2019, because of his party’s electoral dominance.

He has promised to fight rampant corruption and revitalise the economy, a message hailed by foreign investors.

In his maiden speech at the close of a five-day party meeting at which he was elected, Ramaphosa said that the conference had resolved that corruption must be fought with the same intensity and purpose that we fight poverty, unemployment and inequality. He also added that the party must act fearlessly against alleged corruption and abuse of office within its ranks.

Reuters