Opposition parties set to decide Ramaphosa’s fate

NINE opposition parties are set to decide the fate of President Cyril Ramaphosa and his administration.

The parties met about ”strengthening the arm of Parliament” and “holding the executive accountable” after the lid blew off the so-called Phala Phala farmgate scandal. This is detailed in a joint statement by the DA, EFF, IFP, ACDP, UDM, NFP, ATM, Cope and PAC.

Former State Security Agency director-general Arthur Fraser revealed that Ramaphosa tried to conceal a crime at his farm in Lephalale, Limpopo.

The alleged crime involves the farm being robbed of an alleged $4 million (more than R60 million), but Ramaphosa has since denied any involvement in “criminal conduct”, saying the money stolen was the proceeds from a “business transaction of selling animals” because he was a game farmer.

In the statement, the parties said the purpose of these engagements was to strengthen the arm of Parliament in holding the executive to account and representing the people of South Africa.

It read: “It is important to stress that despite parties being independent, there’s overwhelming consensus on the issues and broader strategy including mechanisms like Section 89(1) enquiry and no confidence motion, among others, to hold Ramaphosa and his executive accountable.”

Section 89 of the constitution provides for the National Assembly to remove a president from office if it deems there was a serious violation of the constitution or the law, serious misconduct or if the president has inability to perform the functions of office.

Last month, Pretoria News reported that EFF president Julius Malema announced that the party would be instituting impeachment proceedings in Parliament against Ramaphosa, calling for his immediate arrest over the farm scandal. Malema initially said the party planned to approach all political parties in Parliament, including the ANC, to institute a motion of no confidence against Ramaphosa.

Speaking to Pretoria News yesterday, DA spokesperson Siviwe Gwarube said it was premature to say what the parties were going to decide because they would announce their decisions at a press briefing after engagements next week.

She said: “... the decision will be made and will be communicated next week ... those deliberations are still ongoing. It would be inaccurate to say that the collective is going to propose a motion of no confidence against the president because no decision has been made to that effect yet.”

However, ATM president Vuyo Zungula said it was likely the organisations would decide that impeachment proceedings be initiated against Ramaphosa.

“We are discussing a range of issues about the performance of the president and his Phala Phala alleged crimes. There are a wide range of issues that include putting forward a motion of no confidence in Parliament. After our meeting with other opposition parties, we asked that they go back to their organisations to engage further and a decision will be taken after.

“But the ATM has been proposed for the impeachment of Ramaphosa and that is ongoing,” Zungula said.

Political analyst and public administration lecturer at the University of Mpumalanga Dr John Molepo believes it’s unlikely that Ramaphosa will be impeached because the ANC has the majority in Parliament, but this would cause damage to his reputation.

“The motion of no confidence or an impeachment is likely to speak a different language of Ramaphosa, who appears to be a man of high morals and clean governance.

“We are likely to see civil movements getting together against Ramaphosa. Organisations such as Save South Africa are likely to come back calling for Ramaphosa to go.

“However, even if they propose the motion of no confidence, in terms of the numbers the ANC will succeed because they are in the majority. But let’s not look at the question of numbers, but the message behind. It’s high time that the Ramaphosa administration engages with members of Parliament trying to resolve what is at stake.

“The Phala Phala issue has not made it easy for him to be defended by his supporters, but the ANC won’t let Ramaphosa go easily. Among the ANC members in Parliament, we are still yet to see who is against Ramaphosa,” he said.