Ramaphosa escapes impeachment

President Cyril Ramaphosa has escaped impeachment inquiry after independent panel’s report into Phala Phala was rejected by MPs.

The panel found prima facie evidence that Ramaphosa violated the Constitution and his oath of office following the theft of a large amount of foreign currency from his Phala Phala farm in Limpopo.

Members of Parliament sat in the National Assembly on Tuesday to debate and vote on whether to initiate impeachment proceedings that could force Ramaphosa out of his office.

The debate and vote follow an independent panel report on Phala Phala farm theft, which found that Ramaphosa may have committed serious violations of the constitution and anti-corruption laws.

The motion by African Transformation Movement (ATM) was defeated after 148 members voted for the adoption of the report while 214 members voted against the adoption of the report, which meant that the section 89 inquiry will not proceed.

All DA, EFF, ACDP, UDM, ATM, IFP and FF+ members who were present in the house voted for the adoption of the report.

GOOD leader Patricia De Lille, who is also a cabinet minister, and MP Brett Herron both abstained from voting.

The ANC's  Mosebenzi Zwane, Mervyn Dirks, Supra Mahumapelo and Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma were the only four members of the governing party to vote for the adoption of the report.

All other ANC MPs voted against the adoption of the report.

ANC MP Tandi Mahambehlala had also voted in support of the adoption of the report but later changed her vote to a party line, which is a vote against the adoption of the report.

ATM president Vuyolwethu Zungula, whose party tabled the motion, described the debate as a watershed moment for Parliament.

 

EFF leader Julius Malema expressed his deepest disappointment in Ramaphosa as an individual who has been celebrated as one of the architects of the Constitution of South Africa.

 

Done By: Mitchum George