‘Prima facie’ loaded with meaning: Ramaphosa ‘will prevail until eve of 2024 elections’

Although President Cyril Ramaphosa has several options to deal with the findings of the Section 89 panel report, his fate is in the hands of his political party, the ANC, which could decide to either show him the door, or defend him to the bitter end.

A precedent exists: the party parliamentary caucus protected former president Jacob Zuma over the Nkandla scandal, using its majority to defeat all motions of no confidence against him. It remains to be seen whether the MPs and Luthuli House will use the same enthusiasm and energy to fight for Ramaphosa.

But with a special sitting of the ANC national executive committee (NEC) scheduled for today to deal with the hot issue, it was most likely the governing party would stand by its president.

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Indications are that the meeting could proverbially resemble the historic Night of the Long Knives, as Ramaphosa’s opponents are expected to call for his immediate resignation.

Before the meeting, some members of the radical economic transformation faction could not wait for the NEC showdown.

He must resign

Although Tourism Minister and ANC presidential hopeful Lindiwe Sisulu – who is Ramaphosa’s outspoken critic – opted to wait for the NEC to deal with the issue before reacting to the report that found he had a case to answer on his Phala Phala farm burglary, she previously asked Ramaphosa to step aside over the issue.

Sisulu’s spokesperson Steven Motale said she was not in a position to comment specifically on the report until the NEC has discussed it.

“However, long before the panel could release its report, Minister Sisulu is on record as having called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to resign based on, among others, his questionable rise to ANC presidency in 2017, which was a result of a combination of money, manipulation and misrepresentation, aided and abetted by external forces.

“The minister’s call on the president to resign was also based on the assessment of leadership with the president as the head seeing a dysfunctional ANC in all regards.

“Of course, the ongoing Phala Phala affair continues to put the ANC and the country in bad light. Minister Sisulu still holds the firm view that the ANC is a party abundantly blessed with leaders of impeccable integrity, commitment and character; leaders who are committed to fostering unity of the movement and the people of SA,” Motale said.

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This week, another presidential hopeful and Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, called for Ramaphosa to resign.

She tweeted: “I think the President has to step aside now and answer to the case. If you go and read the ANC step-aside rule, I think he should step aside.”

Attempts to get comment from Ramaphosa’s prime contender, former health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize, were unsuccessful.

African Transformation Movement president Vuyo Zungula said: “The truth is not the matter of having the majority of seats but doing what’s right by the people and holding a president accountable.”

United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa said there was no further need for parliament to interrogate the matter, given the findings.

“The balance of probabilities is sufficient, nothing more needs to be proved. President Ramaphosa will be well advised to leave his office without any further prompting. SA cannot afford another scenario where the nation and the world are focused on the misdeeds of our president,” he said.

Ramaphosa will prevail

Political analyst Prof Lesiba Teffo said Ramaphosa would prevail until the eve of the 2024 elections.

“Let the people of my land continue to dream. The legal expression, prima facie, is loaded with meaning.”

But constitutional expert Richard Calland tweeted: “Some think you need prima facie evidence to arrive at a recommendation to impeach Ramaphosa, that is not the case. The bar is much higher here, you need sufficient tangible evidence,” he said.

– ericn@citizen.co.za