Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has lashed out at ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa, saying he will be no threat to the opposition come the national elections in 2019.
Malema was speaking at a media briefing after his party met for their annual plenum at the weekend.
"Leave this white exaggeration about [Ramaphosa]. Ramaphosa is exaggerated. Ramaphosa is not from a lucky packet, [he] has been a part of this mess we are experiencing in South Africa. Ramaphosa has never lifted his finger against corruption and the rot in this country," Malema said.
"Ramaphosa is no threat at all. [He] is a product produced by the Oppenheimers, working with the Ruperts. We fought the Guptas, we succeeded. We are not going to allow the Ruperts to be Guptas."
Malema alleged that industry leaders are manipulating the strength of the rand to create an impression that the economy is recovering under Ramaphosa's leadership.
"Is it a nice capture when it is done by whites and it is unacceptable when it is done by nonwhites? Capture remains capture... Ruperts, they are all celebrating. I have never seen captains of the industry so happy in a long time. They are now manipulating the rand to show some strength, there is no strength... it is a manipulation by white capital to create the impression that Ramaphosa is the angel we have been waiting for," he said.
"Once white capital praises something too much... then there is something wrong here. [Ramaphosa] is not a politician; he is a businessman, he's a dealmaker. The ANC doesn't have a politician president, it has got a businessman who goes around making deals... and can kill for profit."