President Cyril Ramaphosa should not waste South Africa’s time and wait to ride out impeachment proceedings, but should instead resign because he violated the Constitution. This is according to eThekwini Deputy Mayor Philani Mavundla.
Ramaphosa was due to appear before Parliament on Tuesday over the Section 89 Phala Phala Farmgate report, but that session was postponed.
“The National Assembly Programming Committee has, during its urgent meeting convened on Monday evening, resolved to defer the consideration of the Section 89 panel report to Tuesday December 13 at 14h00,” spokesperson Moloto Mothapo said in a statement.
“The December 13 meeting will be fully physical, with no provision for virtual participation. The NA (National Assembly) secretariat was tasked to secure a suitable venue that will accommodate all members.
“The meeting further resolved that the voting method on the report will be by means of an open ballot and a roll call.
“The NA will still convene on Tuesday to deal with the other matters on the Order Paper, including the Children’s Amendment Bill and farewell speeches. The report of the Rules Committee will also be considered,” Mothapo said.
The Section 89 panel chaired by retired Chief Justice Sandile Ngcobo found Ramaphosa had a case to answer in the apparent cover-up of the theft of millions of dollars from his Phala Phala lodge in Bela Bela, Limpopo.
Ramaphosa admitted to the panel inquiry that he had failed to report the crime to police after the undeclared millions of US dollars hidden in his sofas were stolen.
Instead of opening a case, Ramaphosa, his advisers and top police officials were found to have conducted a secret operation to capture the suspects, bring them back to the farm, assault them and then swear them to secrecy.
Mavundla, the leader of Abantu Batho Congress said Ramaphosa was no different from scandalous former presidents of the ANC.
“Of all the four presidents that the ANC gave to the people of South Africa, not a single one of them can be considered as clean.
“Nelson Mandela had a cloud over his head in relation to the arms deal as some reports indicated that he knew about the behind-the-scenes deals that were made to solicit money, which Jacob Zuma is still appearing in court for. There was also uneasiness about the red Mercedes-Benz he received.
“Thabo Mbeki was also muddied about the same arms deal and the manner that Telkom was sold to BEE partners. There is also the matter of (Kgalema) Motlanthe with a mysterious businessman Sandile Majali and a certain Ms Mtshali on the oil deal in the Middle-East.”
Mavundla stated that even Zuma was forced out of office unceremoniously with his alleged links with the Gupta family who were accused of capturing the state.
“Ramaphosa has to succumb to the same sword as the others who have been found wanting. We can not expect anything better from the ANC. South Africans need to think twice… if small parties like ATM can take down the Buffalo (Ramaphosa) let’s have more of those and stop asking where are those big parties claiming to be fighting corruption,” said Mavundla.
EFF leader Julius Malema said on Monday that his party would call for Ramaphosa to be impeached and also write to the National Prosecuting Authority to charge him.
He encouraged the “outspoken” senior leaders of the ANC to call for Ramaphosa to step down and said they must not hide during the impeachment voting process in the National Assembly.
“Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Lindiwe Sisulu and others have gone on TV and called for Ramaphosa to step down. When we vote in Parliament they must do in public what they said when they called for Ramaphosa to step down… they must show all South Africans what they meant and publicly vote in favour of Ramaphosa’s impeachment,” said Malema.
Malema cast doubt on the DA and stated that he was not sure where the official opposition stood on the question of Ramaphosa’s impeachment.
However, the DA spokesperson Siviwe Gwarube said last week that the party had started lobbying other political parties and the ANC MPs to vote for the process that could lead to Ramaphosa being impeached.
“We cannot have a head of state who has such damning findings hanging over his head not be investigated by the national legislature that he ought to account to,” said Gwarube.
Daily News