Opposition parties want Ramaphosa to face impeachment hearings as calls for his resignation mounts

President Cyril Ramaphosa

• The forum compromising of all opposition parties want President Cyril Ramaphosa’s impeachment hearings to start.
• It comes following the release of Parliament’s section 89 independent report which made damning findings against Ramaphosa. 
• The forum added it would request the DA to table a motion of no confidence against Ramaphosa on the basis of the prima facie evidence that he committed serious violations of the Constitution and the laws of the republic. 

The Parliamentary forum consisting of political parties in opposition says President Cyril Ramaphosa’s impeachment hearing should start. 

The forum held its fourth meeting on Friday in Ekurhuleni. The meeting follows the release of Parliament’s section 89 independent report which made a damning finding against Ramaphosa. 

“The meeting noted that the Section 89 panel report has found that there is prima facie evidence for serious misconduct and gross violation of the Constitution by Mr Ramaphosa. This finding by the independent panel is what the rules of Parliament require for the impeachment committee to be set up,” the forum said in a statement. 

In a scathing Section 89 report, a panel headed by former Chief Justice Sandile Ngcobo found that Ramaphosa may have violated the Constitution and anti-corruption laws in his Phala Phala game farm dealing. The game farm in Limpopo was broken into and robbed of a large amount of money.

The Section 89 panel submitted their report to National Assembly speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula on Wednesday.

Since the release of the report, there has been mounting pressure on Ramaphosa to resign. 

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The ANC’s National Working Committee, and, National Executive Committee are expected to discuss the outcomes of the report.

The forum added that the sitting expected to be held in Parliament on Tuesday should ensure that an impeachment committee is set up.

The forum of the opposition political parties which compromises the DA, EFF, IFP, ACDP, UDM, National Freedom Party (NFP), African Transformation Movement (ATM), COPE, FF+ and Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC) unanimously agreed that Parliament must physically convene to vote for the impeachment process on Tuesday. 

“The reason for physically convening Parliament is to avoid a situation in which represented political parties lock up members of Parliament in private venues that are not protected and secure for Parliament and all of its members,” it said. 

It added that the opposition parties agreed that members of Parliament must vote for the impeachment process to commence “because not doing so is not sensible and will not pass the rationality test.”

“Voting against the section 89 Independent Panel’s recommendation will be a violation of Parliament’s Constitutional obligation to hold the executive accountable,” it said.

The forum added it would request the DA to table a motion of no confidence against Ramaphosa on the basis of the prima facie evidence that he committed serious violations of the Constitution and the laws of the republic.