Phala Phala: ‘Major subterfuge’ on NA speaker’s part to protect Ramaphosa

The Democratic Alliance says it believes an ad hoc committee would have provided the required evidence for a Section 89 inquiry – granted by the speaker of the National Assembly, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, on Friday – to look into the removal of President Cyril Ramaphosa from office, following the Phala Phala matter.

DA leader John Steenhuisen said the DA has noted the speaker’s decision to refer the requested Section 89 motion to an independent panel.

“We wrote to the speaker making the case for an ad hoc committee to be established to investigate the grave allegations against the president”, said Steenhuisen.

“We are awaiting her response. We believe that an ad hoc committee would have provided the required evidence for this Section 89 inquiry”.

He said the party will be submitting their nomination for a member of the panel to the speaker and will continue participating in the process while arguing for the establishment of the ad hoc committee.

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“We have been clear, if laws have been broken at Phala Phala farm – the president’s property – and state resources were used to cover it up, then the president and all those involved must be held accountable.

“My concern is that there are only allegations at this stage and very little prima facie evidence, which will probably result in the panel indicating that the motion should not proceed,” Steenhuisen said.

Steenhuisen said they pushed hard for an ad hoc committee to probe the matter because such a process would have been able to yield the needed prima facie evidence, if there was any.

“No doubt the speaker is acutely aware of this, which is why she acceded to the ATM (African Transformation Movement) motion, rather than pursue the logical step (as in the Nkandla matter) of an ad-hoc committee.

“In doing so she is obviously buying time for the president to try deflect.”

Steenhuisen said the DA want competent, independent-minded individuals to serve in the Section 89 motion.

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“At this stage, the allegations remain untested and the facts are not definitive.

“It would have made much more sense for the ad-hoc to do the initial work and then for the outcome of this to provide any prima facie evidence or otherwise.

“I repeat, this is why the speaker has chosen this route. She obviously knows that the panelists will revert to saying there is no solid prima facie evidence at this stage.

“So in a sense, it’s a major subterfuge to appear to be doing something, while protecting the president’s interests.”

ATM president Vuyo Zungula said the attitude of the speaker to want to wait for other institutions before parliament can act, gives an impression that the speaker is defending the president and not allowing parliament to do its work.

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“Parliament should not hide behind other institutions when it comes to doing its work of oversight,” he said.

“Sars can only look at the tax issues, the police can only look at criminal issues. However, parliament has got the benefit of looking at the issues either ethically, criminally, or tax-related, or in terms of any laws that could have been broken. Parliament does have the mechanism to look at those things.”

Zungula said the ATM believes that there is prima facie evidence the president had committed a serious violation of the constitution and committed serious misconduct.

He confirmed he instructed the head of his presidential protective unit to investigate and apprehend any suspects who are not in line with the laws of our country.

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“The protectors of the ministers and president are not mandated to conduct investigations; the police should do that.”

“[Ramaphosa] also confirmed that he is selling animals, that contradicts section 92b of the constitution, which states that the president must not place himself at risk of having a conflict of interest between his public duties and his private duties.”

Zungula said there has been no progress on the matter two months after former spy boss Auther Frazer made allegations.