Phosa to Ramaphosa: “The Buck Stops with You” – ANC Stalwart Demands Accountability for Political Collusion

Phosa to Ramaphosa: “The Buck Stops with You”, ANC Stalwart Demands Accountability for Political Collusion

ANC stalwart and former treasurer-general Mathews Phosa has issued a blunt challenge to President Cyril Ramaphosa, demanding that he take responsibility for what he describes as a deep-rooted “marriage between politicians and thugs” that has hollowed out South Africa’s democracy.

In a wide-ranging interview with The Citizen following the release of his memoir Witness to Power: A Political Memoir, Phosa accused Ramaphosa of turning a blind eye while political interference derailed investigations into killings and corruption particularly after then-minister of police Senzo Mchunu disbanded the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT).

“Where was the president looking when this happened? The buck stops with him,” Phosa asked.

The Political Killings That Exposed a Rotten System

Phosa’s comments come amid explosive testimony before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, which is probing criminality and political interference in South Africa’s justice system.

According to evidence presented, Mchunu halted investigations into political killings in KwaZulu-Natal, a province long haunted by assassinations of councillors, whistleblowers, and activists. Mchunu later confirmed under oath that he had dissolved the team.

To Phosa, this was more than a bureaucratic decision, it was a symptom of a political culture that protects murderers and thieves.

“Comrades are collaborating with thieves and thugs. Politicians cannot make common cause with criminals. The minister was protecting murderers and the president must answer for that,” he said.

“A Corrupt Relationship Between Politicians and Thugs”

Phosa’s accusations paint a grim picture of South Africa’s leadership one where corruption is not an exception but an ecosystem. He believes the PKTT saga is just “the tip of the iceberg” in a much broader web of collusion between those in power and criminal networks.

“The state is conniving with thieves by not prosecuting them,” he said, adding that this permissiveness has eroded public faith in justice and government alike.

Phosa compared today’s rot to the era of state capture, describing it as “the same smell of corruption” whether it’s billions lost to the Guptas or millions looted from local hospitals and municipalities.

“The corpses of whistle-blowers pile up while politicians pretend not to see. Silence in the face of evil is collusion with evil,” he said defiantly.

“This Is What Power Did to the ANC”

Phosa did not spare his party either. Reflecting on his years as Mpumalanga’s first premier, he lamented how power and greed have corroded the soul of the ANC.

“That’s what power did to the ANC,” he said. “When I was premier, I never once cared what tenders were being issued. Today, tender boards are havens for thieves politicians, their friends, and families.”

He called for a complete reset in how politicians engage with governance, urging leaders to step back from procurement and allow professional administrators to manage service delivery.

“Politicians are supposed to deliver services, not issue tenders. When they corrupt the system, they corrupt society itself.”

“I’m Not the Conscience of the ANC, But I Reject Corruption”

Asked whether he sees himself as the ANC’s moral compass, Phosa dismissed the notion but insisted on his role as a truth-teller within a party that has lost its ethical bearings.

“I’m not the conscience of the ANC, but I’m one of those who reject corruption in words and in action. The only thing that will stop me from speaking out is death,” he said.

Phosa joins a growing chorus of respected ANC veterans including Mavuso Msimang and Thabo Mbeki who have publicly condemned the ruling party’s moral decline. Together, they represent what remains of the ANC’s old guard, now battling to reclaim the organisation’s founding principles from what many describe as a culture of greed and self-enrichment.

A Country at a Crossroads

Phosa’s outspokenness lands at a time when South Africa is reeling from multiple crises from political assassinations to failing municipalities and worsening corruption in public institutions.

For many citizens, his words echo a growing frustration that accountability has become optional for those in power. Social media has amplified this sentiment, with users praising Phosa for “saying what everyone else is afraid to” while others doubt the ANC can ever reform itself from within.

One viral post on X read:

“Phosa is right the buck does stop with Cyril. But accountability died the same day the ANC stopped fearing the people.”

Whether Ramaphosa responds remains to be seen. But as Phosa’s remarks ripple through political circles, one message rings clear: the time for silence is over.

{Source: The Citizen}

Follow Joburg ETC on Facebook, Twitter , TikTok and Instagram

For more News in Johannesburg, visit joburgetc.com