Parties disappointed by court halting impeachment proceedings

uMkhonto weSizwe Party Member of Parliament Andile Mngxitama says the party is disappointed by the Western Cape High Court’s decision to halt impeachment proceedings against President Cyril Ramaphosa. The Western Cape High Court has interdicted Parliament’s Impeachment Committee from continuing with its public hearings into the Phala Phala matter. Mngxitama argues that the ruling is yet another example of the judiciary shielding the President from accountability. Meanwhile, the EFF says it’s shocked, but not surprised, by the judgment. Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Member of Parliament Nontando Nolutshungu claims Ramaphosa has a history of avoiding accountability, citing the Bosasa and Phala Phala controversies. The reaction follows the President’s victory in the Western Cape High Court, where the court granted an order halting the impeachment process. Ramaphosa had asked the court to suspend the parliamentary process for at least three months while he pursues a review of the Section 89 Independent Panel report. The panel previously found that there was sufficient evidence for him to answer allegations relating to the theft of foreign currency from his Phala Phala farm. uMkhonto weSizwe Party MP Andile Mngxitama says, “Well, we are disappointed, but it’s not unexpected. The judiciary has consistently protected Mr Ramaphosa. We all know about his R1 billion, which is undisclosed from his donors. Now, that theme continues as we see today. Remember, the argument that he’s making is a very silly one, that his reputation will be harmed by appearing before the impeachment committee.” “Now, if he has nothing to hide, why should his reputation be affected? If he is not guilty of stuffing his furniture with dollars which have not been accounted for, why is he afraid to come before the impeachment committee? This is a delaying tactic, and it’s highly disappointing that the judges would accept the argument that his reputation would be negatively affected, and therefore grant his request for a stay of this matter,” adds Mngxitama. VIDEO | Reaction to ruling halting impeachment process EFF Chief Whip Nontando Nolutshungu says they are shocked by the court ruling. Nolutshungu says, “We are shocked but not surprised because this has been the pattern. Remember we’re dealing here with someone who is avoiding accountability. If you go back, you will notice that the President himself denied that his son was involved in the Bosasa deal. Later on, he came back; he admitted. Then again, Mohammed, the guy who has got a lot of money, nobody knows where he gets it from, was seen with the President, and the President denied knowing him.” “But at the end, he came back, and he agreed that he knows the man. Then it was the Phala Phala; it is the same story: he denies, and then he accepts that, yes, he sold the buffalo, but the money was kept under the mattresses. Why? We don’t know. So here we’re dealing with someone who’s really avoiding accountability. So it is a pattern, and we’re going to study the judgment and see how we then move forward. As I’m saying, we are not surprised,” explains Nolutshungu. VIDEO | Ramaphosa successfully interdicts impeachment process The African Transformation Movement (ATM) plans to consult its lawyers after studying the Western Cape High Court judgment. The party’s Parliamentary leader, Vuyo Zungula, argues that Parliament has a Constitutional responsibility to ensure accountability by gathering evidence and conducting a thorough inquiry into the February 2020 Phala Phala Farm theft scandal. “The judgment, once we read it, we’re going to have a full understanding. However, today we are going to continue submitting our names, and we’re expecting that next Wednesday we are going to decide and agree on the terms of reference. However, what becomes very tricky now, without reading the judgment, of course, is that can we proceed with the questions of having the other aspects of the preparations in terms of getting the independent panel coming to table the report, getting some aspects, or is it a case whereby the President himself cannot come to the witness stand, but the other people that the committee would want to get evidence from can actually come.” “So we’re going to wait, read the report, but consult our lawyers so that we pose this question of accountability because the reason why we’re here is that there is misconduct on the side of the President, which has been affirmed or confirmed by an independent panel of experts. And it would be failing South Africans as Members of Parliament if we don’t get evidence, we don’t get the truth and answers when it comes to having an inquiry”, he adds. VIDEO | ATM to study ruling interdicting Ramaphosa’s impeachment process