Staff ReporterSouth African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Wednesday assured MPs in the National Assembly that advancing the interests of the masses of South Africans would be his sole focus.
After being elected unopposed as President of the country in the National Assembly, Ramaphosa said while he would walk with kings and queens and work with captains of industry, he would do so “without losing the common touch of the masses of our people”.
Ramaphosa was responding to Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema, who had earlier congratulated Ramaphosa but warned: “We have not elected the Ruperts, we have not elected the Oppenheimers. Listen to the collective wisdom of the people elected here, not to white monopoly capital.”
Ramaphosa replied during his acceptance speech: “Honouable Malema, my interest in serving our people will not be derived in serving special interest groups whoever they may be, you’ve named them.”
The president also gave a commitment that his new administration would work closely with Parliament and all parties represented in the House.
“As we enter the sixth democratic administration, please be assured of my personal commitment and the commitment of the incoming executive to fulfil these obligations of seeking consensus, of collaborating, of working together to find solutions to to all the challenges our country faces; to create conditions for meaningful social and economic transformation,” Ramaphosa said.
