While Members of Parliament are expected to deliberate on the Phalaphala farm gate report on Tuesday, 6 December, President Cyril Ramaphosa may also find himself facing a motion of no confident.
This after the Forum of Opposition Political Parties comprising the Democratic Alliance (DA), Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP), United Democratic Movement (UDM), National Freedom Party (NFP), African Transformation Movement (ATM), African Independent Congress (AIC), Congress of the People (COPE), Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC) and the Freedom Front Plus (FFP) held its fourth meeting on 2 December in Ekurhuleni.
The meeting was held to discuss the Section 89 Panel Report, which has found that there is prima facie evidence for serious misconduct and gross violation of the Constitution by Ramaphosa.
In a Statement, the parties said the finding by the Independent Panel is what the rules of Parliament require for the Impeachment Committee to be set up.
“The sitting on 6 December must ensure that indeed a resolution to set up the Impeachment Committee is taken.
“All of us, as political parties, agree on the following, Parliament must be physically convened to vote for the impeachment process. The reason for physically convening Parliament is to avoid a situation in which represented political parties lock up MPs in private venues that are not protected and secure for Parliament and all of its members,” the parties said in a statement.
Secondly, the forum said all political parties and all MPs must vote for the impeachment process to commence because not doing so is not sensible and will not pass the rationality test.
They said voting against the Section 89 Independent Panel’s recommendations will be a violation of Parliament’s constitutional obligation to hold the executive accountable and previous rulings of the Constitutional Court have condemned Parliament’s lack of oversight and vigilance over the executive.
Thirdly, the Forum of opposition parties further agreed that, in addition to the Section 89 impeachment process, they will request the DA, the official leader of the opposition, to table a motion of no confidence against Ramaphosa on the basis of the prima facie evidence that he committed serious violations of the Constitution and laws of the Republic.
“If the DA, which is the second largest political party in Parliament, is unable to table the motion of no confidence, the EFF, which is the thrid largest political party in Parliament, will table the Motion of No Confidence against Ramaphosa before the sitting of the National Assembly.”
