‘I was not sent to Parliament to do unethical things’: ANC MPs could vote against Ramaphosa over Phala Phala

Some African National Congress (ANC) MPs are planning to defy their party’s order to vote against adopting the Phala Phala report.

Parliament’s debate and vote on the Section 89 panel report, which found the president had a case to answer on the Phala Phala farm burglary scandal, is scheduled to take place next week with all 400 MPs of the National Assembly expected to be at the sitting.

‘Can’t subvert your own processes’

While some ANC MPs have spoken out in support of Ramaphosa, others members – such as Mervyn Dirks – have supported calls for the president’s impeachment.

Dirks told Radio 702 that he will vote along with the opposition in favour of adopting the Section 89 panel’s report, despite the ANC’s national executive committee (NEC) on Monday resolving that its caucus must reject the report.

“When you look at what is currently happening, the panel’s report is very clear that the president’s answers were unsatisfactory and I believe, therefore, he should resign,” he said.

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“I will definitely vote in favour of the report no matter what the ANC says. This process was started by Parliament, which is led in majority by the ANC.

“Now that the report is out and certain people don’t like the outcome of our own processes, they want to say we must [reject] this report. You can’t subvert your own processes. The ANC did not send me to Parliament to go and do unethical things.”

Others ANC MPs who have called for Ramaphosa’s resignation include Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, former North West premier Supra Mahumapelo and Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu.

Voting

For the National Assembly to approve the panel’s report, a simple majority is needed when voting takes place at the Cape Town City Hall on Tuesday.

This means 50%+1 of the 400 MPs should support adopting the Phala Phala report.

As things stand, opposition parties in Parliament have a collective 170 seats and would need 31 votes from the ANC’s 230 members to achieve the 50%+1 threshold.

A cursory look at the list of ANC MPs in Parliament shows about 15 members that might vote in favour of adopting the Section 89 report.

READ MORE: Ramaphosa’s future ‘fragile’ despite ANC backing

This week, National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula declined requests from the Democratic Alliance (DA) and African Transformation Movement (ATM) to have the Phala Phala report voted through a manual roll call procedure and by secret ballot.

If the National Assembly adopts the report, a Section 89 Committee will then be established and Ramaphosa will be subjected to impeachment proceedings.

The Section 89 Inquiry will be similar to the Section 194 Inquiry, which suspended Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane is currently facing.

Meanwhile, the president has asked the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) to review and set aside the Phala Phala report.

‘Accountability’

Asked about his intention, Dirks also dismissed the suggestion that he had personal or political agenda against Ramaphosa.

“The problem that I have with the president is the whole issue of accountability… he simply doesn’t want to account to anybody in this country. The president ran to the courts to conceal his bank statements now he wants to take the [Section 89 panel] report on review,” the ANC MP said.

Earlier this year, Dirks launched a complaint with the Public Protector’s office relating to a leaked audio recording where Ramaphosa is heard admitting that he was aware the ANC had used public funds for party purposes.

Dirks had also written to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) asking that Ramaphosa be investigated.

The ANC later initiated disciplinary proceedings against Dirks, who failed to overturn his suspension in court.

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