South Africa: Phala Phala Report - We Cannot Sit Idly By As Another Death Knell Rings for Parliamentary Accountability

analysis

Mmusi Maimane is the chief activist of the One South Africa Movement.

Political parties in Parliament must come together and find unity of purpose: not only to impeach President Cyril Ramaphosa, but to find a path towards cooperation to form an interim government to ensure stability and protect the national interest until a renewed democratic mandate is delivered in 2024.

South Africa is a constitutional democratic republic -- that ought to mean something. Under our constitutional order, Parliament must serve as the locus of the people's power to hold the government to account -- especially the President.

However, the ANC's latest action to protect President Cyril Ramaphosa from constitutional accountability at its 6 December National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting where it resolved to instruct all its MPs to vote to reject the damning report of the Section 89 Independent Panel in the National Assembly on 13 December affirms its protection principle: cadre before Constitution.

The Section 89 report found that there is prima facie evidence that Ramaphosa may have committed serious violations of the Constitution and breached corruption laws, including the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act, in concealing the possession and subsequently covering up the theft of foreign...

AllAfrica publishes around 500 reports a day from more than 100 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.