MEDIA STATEMENT

Date: Tuesday, July 19, 2022

For immediate release
Attention: Editor / News desks
Subject: Response to media enquiries regarding an investigation into
allegations of a violation of the Executive Ethics Code against the President
of the Republic of South Africa his excellency Mr MC Ramaphosa

The Public Protector South Africa (PPSA) has received several media enquiries
pertaining to its investigation into allegations of a violation of the Executive Code of
Ethics against the President and finds it prudent to update the public as follows due
to the public interest on the issue.
We confirm that the President had until July 18, 2022 to respond to the allegations
letter of June 07, 2022 after his previous request to have the initial return date of
June 22, 2022 extended. A request for a further extension has instead been filed.
The request for a further extension has been denied and was communicated to the
President on July 18, 2022.
The Public Protector Rules, 2018 as amended (the Rules), which set out response
protocols and timeframes in respect of investigations, provide in Rule 23(2) (b) that
where a state institution receives correspondence from the PPSA, including a
request for information in respect of investigations of alleged breaches of the
Executive Code of Ethics, the institution concerned must submit a written reply or
written substantive reply within 14 days, except where the Public Protector specifies
otherwise, as per the extension granted in this matter until July 18, 2022.
Rule 23(3) of the Rules provides that: “Where the state institution has failed to
submit a reply within the timeframes referred to in sub-rule (2) above, the Public
Protector may direct the state institution concerned to submit a substantive reply,
which reply must be received not later than seven days from the date of the
directive.”
The PPSA will therefore be invoking its subpoena powers in line with section 7(4)
(a) of the Public Protector Act 23 of 1994, read with section 5 thereof. Section 7(4)
(a) provides that:
“For the purposes of conducting an investigation the Public Protector may direct
any person to submit an affidavit or affirmed declaration or to appear before him or
her to give evidence or to provide any document in his or her possession or under
his or her control which has a bearing on a matter being investigated, and may
examine such person”.
Section 7(5) state thus: “A direction referred to in subsection (4) (a) shall be by way
of a subpoena…”
The PPSA would like to reassure the public that the matter remains ongoing and
that other investigative tools and methods are being employed to establish the
veracity of the allegations that gave rise to the investigation.
No further public comments pertaining the matter will be made in an effort to protect
the integrity of the investigation. This is because investigating such matters in the
glare of the public carries with it the risk of jeopardizing investigations.
END

Issued by the Public Protector South Africa.

For more information, contact:

Oupa Segalwe
Spokesperson
Public Protector South Africa
012 366 7035
072 264 3273 / 069 526 1546
oupas@pprotect.org
www.pprotect.org