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PHALA PHALA SCANDAL

Ramaphosa weighs resigning over panel’s farm-scandal report

President Cyril Ramaphosa is considering resigning over an advisory panel’s report that found he may have violated the constitution, according to people familiar with the matter.
CR-Win-SG option 2 President Cyril Ramaphosa. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
Bloomberg
By Bloomberg
1 Dec 2022
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President Cyril Ramaphosa is in meetings with close allies to take advice on the matter, said the people who asked not to be identified as they’re not authorised to speak to the media.

The rand weakened as much as 1.7% to an intraday low of 17.49 per dollar on the news and traded at 17.4892 by 1:50 p.m. in Johannesburg.

Ramaphosa is “in consultations with a number of stakeholders over the permutations of the panel’s report,” Vincent Magwenya, his spokesman, said in a response to questions sent by text message. The president will make an announcement on his response to the report and the presidency “will advise once the time has been confirmed,” Magwenya said.

This comes on the backdrop of Ramaphosa cancelling a scheduled appearance before parliament as he considers his response to an independent panel’s finding that he may have a case for impeachment to answer.

Ramaphosa had been set to answer questions from lawmakers in the National Council of Provinces on Thursday afternoon. Those plans have been cancelled, Gerhard Koornhof, parliamentary counsellor to the president, said in a letter to the NCOP seen by Bloomberg and verified by the presidency.

“The recommendations of the panel and the implications thereof for the stability of the country require his Excellency President Ramaphosa to take the time to carefully consider the contents of the report and the next course of action to be taken,” Koornhof said.

Ramaphosa’s allies met late on Wednesday to discuss the panel’s report before top leaders of South Africa’s governing African National Congress meet later on Thursday to weigh their response to its findings. – Bloomberg

Comments

Maite Rabyanyana Dec 1, 2022, 05:12 PM

I think the DA's obsession to win political power is going to cost us as a country. They should hang this impeachment til after the clean-up Ramaphosa has done to date. Better yet, let them help him with the clean-up of the rot in the ANC until the country is stabilised. Otherwise, we will see all the already rooted-out rots making their way back to positions. We are already seeing some making way. If DA were doing it for all of us, I'd support it, but it's for their own self-interests. Why did they not impeach Zuma in the nine years that he wasted our resources and brought our economy to this state we are in? They are not solving but creating more problems for us by impeaching Ramaphosa now. Let's have the police restored, and other legs of the state first. Then impeach him

thenains Dec 1, 2022, 05:57 PM

The political arena is littered with stones thrown from all the glass houses on the periphery. Everyone makes mistakes, most often motivated by love of power and money. In President Ramaphosa's case, in my humble opinion, whatever motivated his actions, or lack thereof, is certainly not love of either of those things. He has more backbone than any other ANC executive members and more dignity than any of the fishwives leading other political parties. Ramaphosa is a leader - I can see no-one else capable of leading this country with its unique problems and dread the thought of the current deputy president stepping into the void should Ramaphosa resign.

Lara Pienaar Dec 1, 2022, 10:50 PM

I respect the president. I would hate for him to step down. I don't care about this scandal. I trust him and feel safe with his leadership. I loved how he lead the country during the pandemic. I can't stand people who do nothing but find fault with every little thing he does. There are people who make a sport out of negativity. They never can find even one good thing to say about anyone. They are gleeful when people stumble. They sit on the sidelines and have a lot to say but don't contribute to making things better. I always say that to complain is to just take a paint brush and smudge the colors of our country to a dull gray. If you're unhappy with anything go volunteer. Do something useful with your energy.