The ramifications of the Constitutional Court ruling on Friday – that parliament acted “irrationally” by rejecting a report recommending the establishment of an impeachment committee to investigate President Cyril Ramaphosa’s role in the theft of cash from his Phala Phala game farm in Limpopo in 2020 – will be messy.
Reports say the ANC has been holding meetings over the weekend to strategise about what to do.
Options are said to be to accept the Section 89 report, appoint an investigative committee but so restrict its terms of reference that it will have its teeth drawn – or to start canvassing for support outside the ANC to stop the impeachment proceedings by a vote.
ANC strategising response
The latter is going to be difficult to pull off, given that just about every other party outside the ANC wants to be seen on the side of angels by preventing illegal behaviour.
The DA has said it won’t back Ramaphosa and the ANC if it comes to the crunch in a National Assembly vote.
Opposition pressure mounts
Now, Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe party – clearly smelling blood in the water – has given notice of a no-confidence motion against Ramaphosa.
All that requires is as 50% plus one vote to force the president to resign, along with his Cabinet.
Would the current government of national unity parties go along with that – and lose their jobs in the process? Unlikely.
No confidence motion looms
However, while every anti-Ramaphosa individual and party is calling for his head, few are stepping back to look at the reality.
The Hawks and the SA Revenue Service have already probed the Phala Phala saga – and brought charges against others, but have found Ramaphosa does not have a case to answer.
By the scale of theft and looting in this country, Phala Phala is minimal, even if the allegations are true.
But this is not about justice. It is about politics.
