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Business Day Weekender, Johannesburg, 04 November 2006
=Ramatlhodi strikes first in PR war against NPA after raids=


 * Vukani Mde, Karima Brown and Amy Musgrave**

FORMER Limpopo premier Ngoako Ramatlhodi threw down the gauntlet to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) on Friday, opening a public relations war against the authority over its ongoing investigation of graft allegations against him.

The Scorpions secretly raided two of Ramathlodi’s properties early on Thursday morning. But news of the raids became known only on Friday when Ramatlhodi himself announced it and launched a blistering attack on the prosecuting authority in a statement issued by the ruling African National Congress (ANC).

Asked why he had alerted the public to the raids, Ramatlhodi said: “I am very calm, but I am pissed off by people who are trying to steal my life away.”

The latest dramatic revelations come barely weeks after Ramatlhodi had to apologise to President Thabo Mbeki and the ANC for comments he made to an ANC meeting in the Free State, accusing Mbeki of sowing divisions in the party. He told the meeting that ANC leaders who had fallen out with Mbeki were being investigated and prosecuted maliciously. He mentioned ANC deputy president Jacob Zuma and former party chief whip Tony Yengeni, who is currently serving a jail term for fraud.

Ramatlhodi, a former ally of Mbeki and one time front-runner to head the NPA, has long been linked to a corruption probe by the Scorpions. It is understood his chances to succeed former NPA head Bulelani Ngcuka were scuppered by the corruption allegations. A qualified advocate, Ramatlhodi has also failed in a bid to be admitted to the bar because of the cloud left by the allegations.

On Friday Ramatlhodi accused new NPA boss Vusi Pikoli of opening a media war against him.

“Two weeks ago I read in the newspaper that Pikoli said he was investigating me. I have been investigated since 2003, but have never been charged,” he told the Weekender.

His ANC statement said the conduct of the Scorpions probe and the surfacing of various allegations against him in the media over the past three years had been highly prejudicial.

“These raids are the latest in a series of events, stretching back to 2003, relating to allegations made against me with respect to alleged corruption in Limpopo,” Ramatlhodi said.

Despite Pikoli’s candour with newspapers last month, the NPA appeared reticent to speak about its Ramatlhodi probe. NPA spokesman Makhosini Nkosi on Friday would not even confirm the raids on Ramatlhodi’s homes in Pretoria and Limpopo, despite the politician’s statement announcing them.

“Even though they now say they can’t comment, they’ve already told the entire country I’m a suspect. This organ of state is messing up people’s lives,” Ramatlhodi said.


 * From: http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/weekender.aspx?ID=BD4A310334**

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