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The South African government has announced that it would take action against the country’s president, who has been caught up in a scandal.  The publication of a parliamentary report could lead to his impeachment
The South African government has announced that it would take action against the country’s president, who has been caught up in a scandal.  The publication of a parliamentary report could lead to his impeachment. The committee said that President Cyril Ramaphosa “may have committed” violations and misconduct. The committee was investigating the murky burglary affair that has embarrassed the president ahead of an election crucial to his political future.
These developments are taking place when the ruling African National Congress (ANC) meets in mid-December to choose its next leader. The new leader will become head of state after the 2024 general elections, upon the ANC winning the election.
The parliamentary report has stunned the Ramaphosa camp. The party’s all-powerful National Executive Committee (NEC) has announced an emergency meeting. Its discussions will be crucial in deciding the future course of action. For Ramaphosa, things were going well till the publication of the report casting his possible role in the scandal.
Last week the party announced only two candidates in the running for its presidency. Cyril Ramaphosa was well ahead of his former health minister, Zweli Mkhize. The president now hangs on the decision of parliament. It meets in an extraordinary session on Tuesday to examine the report’s recommendations, which it is not obliged to follow. However, it could lead to initiating a process for a vote to remove the head of state from office. If this process was initiated, it would have little chance of succeeding, as Cyril Ramaphosa’s ANC holds a comfortable majority in parliament. The adverse report has increased the decibel of people calling for his resignation. The presidency has called for a careful reading and proper consideration of the document, in the interest of the stability of the government and the country. However, it promised announcements in due course.
In June, it emerged that an estimated US$4 million was robbed at Ramaphosa’s farm back in 2020, raising questions about how the billionaire president acquired the cash and whether he declared it. The panel, formed in September, sought to find any preliminary evidence of wrongdoing by the president. While Ramaphosa has confirmed that a robbery occurred, he said the cash was from proceeds from the sales of animals on his farm. The inquiry is separate from a criminal investigation that police are conducting, and which Ramaphosa has welcomed.
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The murky political developments have had an impact on the economic indicators, The rand, the worst performer in a basket of 25 developing-nation currencies, weakened further. following media reports that President was considering resigning after the panel found potential breaches of the constitution over the theft of US$580 000 (R10.1 million) stashed in furniture at a game farm he owns. There are also reports that Ramaphosa has lost the political support of the ANC and is very likely to announce his resignation as head of state in the next few hours.
