Cape Town – The Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus) has said that despite joining the Government of National Unity (GNU), it remains firm in its call for Parliament to reconsider a Section 89 impeachment report on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s potential impropriety.
According to EWN, Following the ANC’s loss of its parliamentary majority, FF Plus leader Pieter Groenewald emphasised the need to revive the Phala Phala matter.
FF Plus MP Wouter Wessels stressed the importance of accountability and believes Parliament should fulfill this role, the report said.
“When it was in front of Parliament it was voted down and there was no consideration of that report. So we still believe that accountability and giving effect to that constitutional principle of accountability should take effect and we believe that Parliament should play that role,” the report quoted FF Plus MP Wouter Wessels as saying.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has also indicated its support for the reopening of the case after the ANC dismissed an independent legal report in December 2022.
JUST IN
The EFF has written to the newly elected Speaker of the National Assembly, seeking an urgent draft resolution on a motion for the establishment of an Impeachment Committee against President Cyril Ramaphosa in relation to the #PhalaPhala scandal. pic.twitter.com/QiAuD5oqes
— Athi Mtongana (@AthiMtongana) June 14, 2024
The suggested Ramaphosa has a case to answer regarding the 2020 theft of US dollars from his Phala Phala farm.
Last week, the EFF’s Floyd Shivambu, announced that the party sent a letter to newly-elected speaker of the National Assembly (NA), Thoko Didiza, to invoke a letter asking for Ramaphosa’s impeachment, IOL reported.
In the letter, the EFF submitted an urgent draft resolution in accordance with rule 119 of the NA rules which say a member may propose a subject for discussion or draft a resolution for approval as a resolution of the House, with or without a debate.
It further stated that the current independent panel on the matter was tabled on 30 November, and said the matter found that there was a prima facie case for the impeachment against Ramaphosa, and a full committee should be established.
The letter also said that, while it recognised that the NA debated the report and voted against the establishment of an impeachment committee in December 2022, and members who voted against the committee cited the court challenge by Ramaphosa to set the report aside. Ramaphosa said he will not be pursuing further legal challenges pertaining to the report.
The EFF said it acknowledged the report is an authoritative report and any failure to process the report further would and not establish an impeachment committee would be an abrogation of the duties bestowed upon Parliament,
The party further stated there was nothing prohibiting Parliament from reviving the process.
Speaker Thoko Didiza said the matter would need to be deliberated upon as there was a process by the sixth administration.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
