Clean audits are not clean streets, Ramaphosa defends his DA ‘praise’

ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa.

African National Congress (ANC) President, Cyril Ramaphosa says the significance of political parties goes beyond the mere function of contesting with one another but nation building.

Ramaphosa faced mixed reactions following controversial comments he made during the ANC’s roll call on Monday, where he praised the DA-controlled municipalities as examples of good governance.

He was speaking during an exclusive interview with SABC News Political Editor, Mzwandile Mbeje on various issues in the country.

“Municipalities, for instance, in the Western Cape, have clean audits. But in the end, clean audits do not mean clean streets. And I know that many people in the Democratic Alliance (DA) got very excited and said, ‘yeah, the president said this’. And from a compliance point of view, a number of them are. But from a transformation point of view, they are not really meeting the mark. And a number of ANC municipalities meet the mark.”

LIVE NOW | ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa has sought to explain the remarks he made on Sunday about the DA municipalities being “better run” in SA, saying his statement was driven by the AG report, which often reveals that “municipalities in the Western Cape have clean audits.” pic.twitter.com/B2wBbWrbI6

— SABC News (@SABCNews) September 18, 2025