South Africa’s ruling party stands by leader despite scandal

By MOGOMOTSI MAGOME
Associated Press

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — A crucial meeting of South Africa’s ruling African National Congress party to discuss the future of President Cyril Ramaphosa got underway in Johannesburg on Monday. The meeting is expected to decide if Ramaphosa should remain as its leader or resign following a damning parliamentary report about the theft of large sums of dollars from his farm in 2020. The report was drafted by an independent panel appointed to probe allegations leveled by the country’s former intelligence head, Arthur Fraser, that Ramaphosa tried to cover up the theft of an estimated $4 million from his Phala Phala farm in Limpopo province. Fraser accused Ramaphosa of money laundering and violating the country’s tax and foreign exchange control laws.