Pretoria - The Presidency has in a statement on Thursday refuted media reports that suggest Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa evaded answering questions in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) regarding the attendance of Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir at the African Union Summit.
The Deputy President appeared in Parliament on Wednesday to answer oral questions.
He comprehensively responded to all questions on the official order paper of the day, including follow up questions allowed in terms of rules and procedures of the NCOP, said the Presidency.
When the matter of President Al Bashir was raised during question time, NCOP Chairperson Thandi Modise ruled that the matter was still before the courts and that an investigation was underway into the circumstances of President Al Bashir’s departure from South Africa.
The Chairperson ruled that the question could therefore not be put to Deputy President Ramaphosa.
The Presidency said following the ruling, there was no expectation for the Deputy President to deal with the matter any further.
“Accordingly, suggestions in some media that the Deputy President had ‘evaded’ or ‘dodged’ answering questions on President Al Bashir are baseless, malicious, misleading.
“It is hard to understand that some sections of the media could blatantly misrepresent a straightforward ruling by the presiding officer in an open session of Parliament. Media owe it to the public to tell the truth,” the Presidency said.
The 25th African Union Summit wrapped up in Johannesburg on Monday night. – SAnews.gov.za
