President Cyril Ramaphosa will address the nation tonight
Image: GCIS
President Cyril Ramaphosa will address the nation tonight at 8pm.
This follows the judgment of the Constitutional Court in the case brought by the Economic Freedom Fighters challenging the National Assembly’s decision with respect to Section 89 proceedings against him.
On Friday, the Constitutional Court overturned a vote in parliament that quashed the opening of impeachment proceedings against Ramaphosa over a $4-million cash-heist scandal.
Ramaphosa is accused of hiding from police and tax authorities a 2020 break-in and theft of large sums of foreign currency allegedly stashed in furniture at his luxury Phala Phala farmhouse in the northern Limpopo province.
An independent panel later said he "may have committed" serious violations and misconduct.
But parliament, then controlled by his African National Congress (ANC) party, declined in 2022 to open impeachment proceedings that could have forced him from office.
"It is declared that the vote of the National Assembly taken on 13 December 2022... is inconsistent with the Constitution, invalid, and it is set aside," the Constitutional Court's Chief Justice Mandisa Maya said.
It ordered that the independent panel's report be referred to an impeachment committee.
The court decision followed a complaint lodged by the EFF.
Commenting on the ruling at the time, The Presidency said it "noted the judgement" and that Ramaphosa respected it.
"President Ramaphosa maintains that no person is above the law and that any allegations should be subjected to due process without fear, favour or prejudice," it said in a statement.
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