ANC insists Ramaphosa's leaked audio was not offensive

JOHANNESBURG - While President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office admits that his address to the African National Congress (ANC) caucus was leaked on Wednesday, it insists he said nothing offensive.

Ramaphosa and his Deputy Paul Mashatile were giving feedback to ANC members of Parliament (MPs) on negotiations ahead of Wednesday’s budget vote.

In the leaked audio, the president can be heard telling his party members that the Democratic Alliance (DA) placed itself in an unpleasant position and that it was now up to the party to find its way out.

The parties have been at odds over the budget and the DA’s demands for more powers in the Government of National Unity (GNU).

Both Ramaphosa and Mashatile have said opposing the budget would mean the DA has defined itself outside the coalition government.

In the leaked audio, Ramaphosa gives off the impression of a quintessential congressman who is cool under fire.

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This comes as he takes his party members into his confidence on discussions with the DA’s John Steenhuisen.

"And he asked if the ANC says we should leave the GNU? I said the ball is in your court. You have put yourself in this position, so you need to work your way out."

Ramaphosa also hit out at the DA for countless insults he says it leveled against the former liberation movement.

"And I said, what seems to please you is that you want to be in government, and you also want to be the opposition, and I said you can't have your cake and eat it."

The president’s spokesperson Vincent Magwenya says the leaking of the meeting will not alter the president’s attitude nor commitment to keeping the gnu – even with the DA alive.

Of course, this will depend on Wednesday’s parliamentary sitting, where MPs are due to vote on the budget.