Cape Town – President Cyril Ramaphosa has reportedly said that there is “no issue” and “no crisis” around the Phala Phala saga.
Ramaphosa said this on Saturday during his visit to Philippi, Khayelitsha and Hanover Park in Cape Town.
According to Times Live, the president said that the matter would be dealt with at ANC’s elective conference this week.
“So you guys are really getting excited over this one issue.
“Please relax. Really, relax; there’s no issue, there’s no crisis. Just relax and do come and listen to the political report. I invite you to do that,” News24 quoted Ramaphosa as saying.
The 70-year-old president found himself in hot water in June when South Africa’s former spy boss filed a complaint to the police alleging Ramaphosa had concealed a huge cash theft from his game and rare cattle farm in 2020.
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He accused the president of having organised for the burglars to be kidnapped and bribed into silence.
Ramaphosa has denied any wrongdoing, saying the cash – more than half a million dollars, stashed beneath sofa cushions – was payment for buffaloes bought by a Sudanese businessman.
But his explanations did not convince the special panel, which raised questions about the source of the cash.
He is facing potential impeachment.
On Monday last week, Ramaphosa rushed to the country’s top court asking it to annul the panel’s report, but it is uncertain if his request will be granted, AFP reported.
The Constitutional Court case, which may take days or weeks to be concluded, “does not in itself stop the parliamentary (impeachment) proceedings from continuing”, said public law professor at the University of Cape Town Cathy Powell.
If the impeachment process is greenlighted it will take months of investigations and hearings before the final vote.
ALSO READ | Phala Phala saga: National Assembly delays vote for Cyril Ramaphosa’s impeachment process by a week
“The problem with this one is that it doesn’t seem to be completely frivolous,” the question whether it is serious enough to be fired for, said Powell.
When lawmakers meet next week a simple majority in the National Assembly, where the ANC has 230 out of 400 seats, will be required to initiate the impeachment process.
The impeachment vote itself would need a two-thirds majority to succeed.
If the impeachment proceedings go ahead, Ramaphosa risks being the first South African leader to be formally removed from office by parliament, said Swana.
The scandal has preoccupied South Africans who are already battling economic hardships, the inadequate provision of basic services such as electricity and a dizzying rate of unemployment.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
Additional information by AFP
