As the ANC top brass spent much of the weekend in meetings and on calls to map out a way forward for its president, Cyril Ramaphosa, the looming impeachment inquiry could have far-reaching consequences… not least if the component parties of the government of national unity refuse to stand by Ramaphosa.
DA parliamentary leader George Michalakis told the Sunday Times his party would not back Ramaphosa just to keep the government of national unity (GNU) intact.
“We are a partner in the GNU, we are not the ANC, we have not become the ANC. We are not going to say, ‘Well, we will forgo our principles for the sake of anything, of staying in government, of turning a blind eye.”
He added, “There’s no guaranteed support; if there’s wrongdoing, there must be accountability.”
No cover-ups
Party leader Geordin Hill-Lew is telling supporters on Saturday that the DA would not be part of cover-ups or plans to play the system.
“I want to be super clear to everyone in this room this morning, the DA is in the government of national unity to fix South Africa, so we will never be in the old system of cover-ups, corruption, protecting those in power that have brought South Africa to where we are today.
What will the GNU parthers do?
However, constitutional and local government expert and high court advocate Phindile Ntliziywana said he believed “most parties in the GNU are likely to avoid impeachment, fearing instability and social disruption, and will prefer stability, meaning the final outcome will shape South Africa’s political landscape for years but probably without major upheaval.”
“Societally, a transparent, law-based process could boost public confidence in accountability and democratic institutions. Internationally, it would strengthen South Africa’s reputation as a rule-of-law democracy, potentially increasing investor confidence,” Ntliziywana said.
Will the DA ditch Ramaphosa?
Independent political economist Sandile Swana said it was highly likely that the DA could make a U-turn and save the Ramaphosa presidency from impeachment to protect the privatisation of state assets that Ramaphosa and the ANC had been pursuing.
“So the time has come for the DA, especially, to choose between short-term gains, short-term securing of sponsorships from big business and to choose the side of the constitution and the people of South Africa.
Hard discussions for the ANC
The ANC has to choose whether it wants to continue with its rogue behaviour that had been rebuked by the Constitutional Court several times since its Polokwane conference,” Swana said.
The Constitutional Court (Con Court) on Friday found that parliament acted irrationally in 2022 when it rejected a Section 89 panel report’s recommendation to establish an impeachment committee to investigate Ramaphosa’s role in $580 000 (about R9.6 million) cash stolen from his Phala Phala game farm in Limpopo in 2020.
The matter is a sequel to the theft at Phala Phala farm owned by the President in Limpopo, a theft that occurred in 2020 that was probed by different law enforcement agencies, including the Hawks, the public protector and the SA Reserve Bank, which all found no evidence of wrongdoing by the head of state.
Among the reported discussions to be thrashed out at the ANC’s top seven meeting on Monday are whether to accept the panel’s report on judicial review, limit the impeachment committee’s terms of reference, or start canvassing for support outside the party to stop an impeachment by a vote.
Will the president resign?
Ramaphosa was reported to have been willing to resign over the matter before, but a City Press source within the Presidency said it was not on the cards now.
“Resigning at this point would mean admission of guilt, and it would send the wrong message for the party ahead of the local government elections,” said the source.
To add to the ANC’s headache, its former president Jacob Zuma’s new political party, the MK Party, said on Saturday that it plans to submit a motion of no confidence in Ramaphosa.
“In light of the constitutional importance of a motion of no confidence, as well as the considerable political pressures surrounding such proceedings, we have written to the Speaker of the National Assembly requesting that the motion be conducted by secret ballot.
“This is to safeguard both the independence and integrity of members’ votes and to ensure they can exercise their responsibilities freely and effectively,” added the party’s spokesperson, Nhlamulo Ndhlela.
It hopes a secret ballot would allow ANC members who are not aligned with the party’s direction on the matter to express their view, as several members did publicly when the impeachment commission was discussed before parliament in 2022.
Impeachment committee
Although the ConCourt gave no timelines, parliament is now required to establish an impeachment committee, under Rule 129I of the National Assembly rules, which governs how a president may be removed from office under Section 89 of the constitution.
Section 89 allows for the removal of a president on three grounds: serious violation of the constitution or the law, serious misconduct, or inability to perform the duties of office.
Once constituted, the committee will gather evidence, test the credibility of the claims and assess the seriousness of the allegations against Ramaphosa before making recommendations to the National Assembly. Witnesses, possibly even Ramaphosa himself, are expected to be called, questioned and required to respond to or challenge the president’s version of events relating to Phala Phala.
