PHALA PHALA SCANDAL IN PARLIAMENT
Impeachment proceedings against Ramaphosa quashed as few rebels voted ‘yes’ and his loudest critics were nowhere to be seen
President Cyril Ramaphosa was free from possible removal from office — and boosted en route to his second term as ANC president — on the back of ANC numbers in the House on Tuesday. With 214 votes against, 148 for and two abstentions, any parliamentary Phala Phala farm forex impeachment proceedings were shot down.
Just three days before the ANC Nasrec elective conference, Tuesday’s vote in Parliament signalled President Cyril Ramaphosa’s recovery in support of his contest for a second term as party president. And it would have given a measure of satisfaction to his close allies who persuaded him not to resign, and then in rough and ready manoeuvring ensured the recent ANC National Executive Committee (NEC) decision for its deployees in Parliament to vote down the impeachment recommendations.
But it was not an unqualified victory — not for Parliament, which again stands accused of failing as the accountability and oversight spear of the state — and also not for the governing ANC.
The State Capture commission reports state that the national legislature failed to act timeously, in keeping with its constitutional responsibilities of oversight and holding to account, adding that party discipline “may not legitimately be directed at obstructing Members of Parliament”.
Party line openly defied
In an unprecedented turn of events on Tuesday, a handful of ANC MPs, including Cooperative Governance Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, openly defied the party line to support impeachment proceedings against Ramaphosa.
“As a disciplined member of the ANC, I vote yes,” said Dlamini Zuma, and the EFF MPs were on their feet applauding.
Other yes votes from the ANC ranks followed — international relations committee chairperson Supra Mahumapelo, stepped-aside transport committee chairperson Mosebenzi Zwane following his corruption trial, tourism committee chairperson Tandi Mahambehlala and Mervyn Dirks, who was dropped from public accounts watchdog Scopa for asking it to investigate the leaked audio tapes of Ramaphosa talking about public resources being used for ANC campaigning.
Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu, who had been in her seat for the debate, was absent when the vote was called. Also MIA were ANC MP Zweli Mkhize and his party colleagues Bongani Bongo, the ex-home affairs committee chairperson who stepped aside over corruption charges, and appropriations committee chairperson Sfiso Buthelezi.
It’s not the first time ANC MPs have stepped off the party line, but it’s been the only public display of what party national chairperson Gwede Mantashe would slam as ill-discipline.
In August 2017, the 37 ANC legislators who voted with the opposition for a motion of no confidence in Zuma were protected by a secret ballot. Zuma also survived that no-confidence vote, accompanied by party admonishment that the opposition was attempting a coup d’état and regime change.
Disciplinary steps
After Tuesday’s vote, ANC Chief Whip Pemmy Majodina, in an interview with broadcaster Newzroom Afrika, said she’d be writing to the party officials to take the necessary disciplinary steps.
But it would be a mistake if the ANC believed its defence of Ramaphosa would be the end of the matter, as Justice Minister Ronald Lamola argued the debate itself was holding the President to account.
The EFF indicated it would urgently approach the courts over Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula’s refusal to allow a secret ballot. The DA is set to submit a third request for an ad hoc committee to investigate the presidential Phala Phala farm forex theft, which the Speaker can establish even during recess.
Between the courts and the national legislature, the Phala Phala scandal will be kept in the public domain as the 2024 elections, with predictions of declining ANC electoral fortunes, are approaching.
ANC ‘put party over country’
In Tuesday’s parliamentary debate ahead of the vote, opposition parties hammered home that the ANC yet again put party above country.
“As long as you have the numbers in Parliament, you can make any scandal go away. If that’s how you intend to vote today — one unified shield against accountability and oversight, just like you did in the Zuma days — then shame on you,” said DA leader John Steenhuisen.
EFF leader Julius Malema did not mince his words: “You [Ramaphosa] will be treated as a real constitutional delinquent. We have done so before we will do it again. All of you must know, history will judge you harshly.”
IFP MP and deputy president Elphas Buthelezi spoke of the damage this matter would do.
“Regardless of whether this right course of action will be defeated by the President’s party, and regardless of the outcome of the next process, something has been broken that cannot be fixed. South Africa’s trust in the President is irrevocably damaged,” said Buthelezi.
Freedom Front Plus leader Pieter Groenewald said Ramaphosa should have taken the public into his confidence and answered all the burning questions.
“If there were any respect for the Constitution, the President would have been willing to answer to Parliament’s National Assembly,” he said.
Or as DA Chief Whip Siviwe Gwarube — who said the vote was about accountability, the principle of fairness and the rule of law — put it to ANC MPs: “You will choose party over people. You will choose a cover-up over accountability. You will once again go down in history as the governing party that broke Parliament.”
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African Transformation Movement (ATM) leader Vuyolwethu Zungula, who brought the impeachment motion, tried again to push for a secret ballot, citing intimidation and threats against MPs. It had emerged that Pan-Africanist Congress (PAC) MP Mzwanele Nyhontso went to the Goodwood police station to lay a charge over threatening text messages.
“It’s a watershed moment in Parliament. If the President and his supporters believe he is innocent and has nothing to hide, why is he fighting against a process that would clear his name? Vote for accountability!”
Most opposition parties joined the united front in support of Parliament accepting the Section 89 independent assessment report that recommended an impeachment inquiry over possible serious violations of the Constitution for conflicts of interest and paid outside work, alongside violations of anti-corruption legislation.
The Good Party, whose leader, Patricia de Lille, serves as public works minister, abstained, as did MP Brett Heron. Only Al Jama-ah and Cope supported the ANC push to nix the impeachment recommendation.
Further procedures
While any parliamentary action on the Section 89 independent assessment panel report has run its course, the Constitutional Court review Ramaphosa has requested to set aside this report continues.
Also still under way are the probes by the South African Reserve Bank into possible foreign exchange violations, the Hawks on various aspects, but also the possible contravention of anti-graft laws, and the Public Protector’s inquiries under the Executive Ethics Act that bans outside paid work and conflicts of interests.
Read more in Daily Maverick: “As President Ramaphosa faces impeachment, tough political and constitutional decisions await”
And, crucially, ANC legislators sticking to the NEC marching orders to use their numbers in the House to vote down any presidential impeachment inquiry, signals the lack of qualitative impact of the State Capture commission recommendations.
“[P]arty discipline may not legitimately be directed at obstructing Members of Parliament from doing what they believe, in good faith, and on reasonable grounds, to be appropriate in order to address concerns as to allegations of corruption or State Capture,” the final commission report said.
“It is inappropriate for a party caucus to resolve not to permit, or to discourage conduct amounting to legitimate parliamentary oversight over the executive.”
Tuesday’s vote may be a short-term gain for the governing ANC, and Ramaphosa, but the longer view is moot. DM
Once again it shows there is honour amongst thieves! I wonder what SARS thinks of all this….the outcome of the SARB investigation will determine whether all taxpayers are treated the same!
Although CR has a case to answer, there are enough indicators to suggest he is being set up by members of his own party that should cause right thinking politicians to proceed with caution. the report that led to this vote was weak and there needs to be a proper enquiry before an impeachment process. Why the opposition seems to support an agenda pushed by criminals within the ANC who are actually hoping to avoid accountability by getting rid of CR is beyond me.
I asked myself the same question, what on earth is Steenhuisen thinking by supporting the RET mob. While I find the laager tactics of the ANC repulsive when defending errant politicians in general we must accept that this case is different. Nothing concrete has been proven as yet and the crime, if there is indeed one, is not against the people of South Africa except possibly SARS which can easily be resolved. Ramaphosa is the best of a bad bunch by far so why try to replace him with an out and out criminal?
Oh the irony!! All the ANC MP’s who voted with the opposition are themselves tainted! Funny that when the master of Gupta malfeasance (Zuma) was facing the same sanction they voted against impeachment? Now they suddenly discover a conscience?? What a bunch of hypocrites!
In my opinion, much as I support the rule of law, we cannot afford for Ramaphosa to be removed at this stage. The damage to the economy would be worse than keeping him in power and his removal would leave the way open for the RET faction to resume their feeding frenzy at the trough. Ramaphosa is the best of a VERY bad bunch!
Sad but so true.
I actually couldn’t give a hoot what happens to the ANC. But what matters is the effectiveness of the Executive with Ramaphosa currently at the head. Now we have a situation where senior members of his executive like Dlamini Zuma and Sisulu want to see him impeached. They don’t have the courage of their convictions to resign. Nor does Ramaphosa have the courage or will to fire them.
So imagine a cabinet meeting with cabinet members laughing into their hands when Ramaphosa gives policy or other instructions. As dissenting members their behaviour will be to undermine everything he instructs. Do the opposite or do nothing. Resulting in us having to endure stage 6 blackouts, post that never arrives, planes that don’t fly, sewerage running down the streets, trains that never run, police that never arrive and an army who cannot even successfully fire off more than 1 shot in a 14 gun salute.
The only successful operation from this government over the past while has been the escorting of a Russian ship into Simonstown harbour and the effective loading and offloading of cargo in darkness and after working hours.
Which gives me the distinct feeling that this government’s agenda and actions are being directed from Moscow. Ramaphosa is simply their puppet. He cannot do the most simple of his responsibilities such as suspend John Hlophe. For this lack of action alone he should be impeached. Not Phala Phala. That is just a game inside the cancerous cauldron known as the ANC.
How to hold the executive accountable when parliament is controlled by the party that elected the president? A president from Venda that has to appoint incompetent ministers from KZN, the Eastern Cape and elsewhere because of their regional support? His main “weapon” opinion surveys that warn of loss of electoral support unless corruption is checked? A chess player or puppet? Captain or helmsman?
Seems more like a Cat on a hot tin roof!
You’re so right!
Hlophe suspended today.. your wish has been granted! Maybe CR has grown some balletjies at last!
There are two issues that ANC has faced with its Presidents, the first is to have its caucus split with others voting with their conscience and others voting according to party line risking ill -discipline permanently in the caucus. The second issue is how it perceives and deals with its Presidents who have broken the law and for all intents it has none despite statements that the their President is willing to be accountable. The reality is that the opposite. This speaks to constitution and electoral system of the country that is flawed. It would be stupid for any person to expect those who have are referred to the RET to vote with the DA if people listen to Magashule and Masina properly who accuse Eskom of working to bring the ANC below 50% so that it can have a coalition with the DA. The statement by the KZN Provincial Secretary before the vote for all party members to tow the line and vote against the report and threatened any MP from the Provincial list with discipline. This is a position of the ANC that Zweli Mkhize who in on the ballot would not violate and be seen with the DA when he is actually on the last lap in trying to win votes in othe rProvinces.. Hankom voted with the DA in 2017 and one doubts that there is a legal basis to discipline any rebels because they will win in court. The ANC has emerged with its caucus relatively intact. The President will withdraw his review that was made to give reasons for the caucus to vote against the report as he will not win.
Nothing has changed since the days when Dingane murdered his half brother Shaka to get power. I’m sure there must be witchcraft and third forces involved as well…. Welcome back to the 17th Century.
This is a classic case of principle vs pragmatism and led by the fear of the unknown. In my view, we have now crossed the rubicon by allowing pragmatism (fear of the unknown aka what happens after CR) over principle and what lies ahead is very murky indeed. CR has shown himself to be a fake and not fit for the job, now he has been rendered impotent for as long as he remains President and hostage to the likes of Mantashe, Cele, Mbalula and the rest of the arrogant and inept incompetents. Not good!