The EFF notes the newspaper reports about the Deputy President’s alleged cosy relationship with Johann Rupert, the owner and Chairperson of REMGRO Holdings. REMGRO and Rupert have interests, ownership and control in many other companies such as;
a) MEDICLINIC
b) eNCA
c) UNILIVER SOUTH AFRICA which produces OMO Washing Powder, Handy ANDY, Domestos, Vaseline, AXE, DOVE, LIPTON, KNORR, SUNLIGHT Soaps, and many others.
d) RCL FOODS, which owns RAINBOW Chicken, SELATI Sugar, SUNBAKE Bread, MAGEU Number 1, and others.
e) TOTAL South Africa
f) RMB—FNB and WESBANK
g) RMI
h) OUTSURANCE
i) DISCOVERY LMITED
j) British American Tobacco (BAT)
k) DISTELL, which owns alcohol beverages such as Savannah, Hunter’s Dry, Amarula, Nederburg Wines
l) RICHEMONT, which owns Mont Blanc, Cartier and other luxury goods.
In 2017, the EFF Deputy President was requested by a Consortium of black people who have a Hospital License, to seek partnership with a reputable Hospital Management company, since they could not get through to anyone. In August the Deputy President wrote to MEDICLINIC to organise a meeting with their representatives, and the meeting took place represented by Board Members of MEDICLINIC and REMGRO. There were no other meetings held with the Deputy President about this project.
In February 2018, during SONA’s debate, part of the EFF Deputy President’s input in the SONA Debate included a political caution to President Ramaphosa that the fact that white monopoly capital is excited over his election as President is a cause for concern. The Deputy President then received a text message via SIGNAL Messenger from Johann Rupert with an attachment of a clip of the video where he said White Monopoly Capital is too comfortable with the President and he should be worried that the likes of Stephen Josef, Brian Joffe and the Ruperts are happy with him.
The text message underneath the video clip sent on the 20th of February 2018 by Johann Rupert read as follows, “I have not looted anything and am very disappointed in you for this BS. Thought you were more honourable and intelligent than this. Goodbye and good luck”. The Deputy President responded and said, “You need to surround yourself with people who understand political dynamics and articulations”.
Johan Rupert responded by saying, “I have known many people much older than you like Steve Biko and Madiba, and they never treated me with such disdain and disrespect. Furthermore, as my very old friend Jabu told you when you said that you are “watching him” because I have Lewazi a break 10 years ago, as head of the Taxi association, you should watch it”.
The Deputy President responded by texting that, “We are not and have never claimed to be your friends. Your ill-gotten wealth, which was accumulated because you are white and because there was apartheid has to be challenged.
We will not rest until we have reclaimed what rightfully belongs to indigenous South Africans. Interacting with you never meant that we are friends.
You must never contact me again as well and we will continue to expose the criminal capitalist system, which you preside over.
If you went around telling people that we are friends, then you misled them. Am not one of the puppies who surround you and always say “yes baas” when you speak to them”.
The EFF leadership has seen the actual text messages exchanged.
From these on there was never any other interaction. The publishing of the book and the interviews by Johann Rupert confirms the desperation of the Stellenbosch Mafia to capture the EFF. The threats to the Deputy President that came as a result of what he said in Parliament are typical of the Capitalist criminals who always intimidate political leadership into submission.
The EFF calls on EFF Members and vigilant South Africans not to be diverted by the desperation of Stellenbosch Mafia, which is trying to divert attention from the fact that the Public Protector has made adverse findings against their blue-eyed boys, Pravin Gordhan and Cyril Ramaphosa.
White Monopoly Capital remains the primary enemy in the war for economic freedom and in the struggle to change the lives of our people. We will never bow down to white supremacists who use their control of the economy to subjugate black leaders to their control.
Media sources that seek to suggest that there is a cosy relationship with the Ruperts are misplaced and false.
