EFF vows to defend Section 89 report ‘in public and in the courts’

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has slammed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision to approach the Constitutional Court as he seeks to have the Phala Phala report, which found that he may have broken his oath of office, reviewed and set aside.

“This application does not come easily. I have carefully considered the report and respectfully submit that the process followed by the Panel and its conclusions are seriously flawed, thus making the recommendations irrational.

“In summary, I submit that the Panel misconceived its mandate, misjudged the information placed before it and misinterpreted the four charges advanced against me. It moreover strayed beyond the four charges and considered matters not properly before it,” Ramaphosa said in his affidavit.

READ MORE: Section 89 report ‘flawed, mandate misunderstood’, Ramaphosa tells ConCourt

Ramaphosa ‘arrogant’

But the “disgusted and appalled” EFF says the decision to take parliament to court in order “to prevent it from exercising its duty of oversight and accountability, is a confirmation of Ramaphosa’s guilt and arrogance in the face of damning findings of his violation of the Constitution of South Africa”.

According to the red berets, if Ramaphosa was truly innocent, he would not be threatened by a process to examine whether he has committed crimes on Phala Phala Farm, because it is this very impeachment process which will investigate the matter and exonerate him if he is innocent.

“The question all South Africans should ask themselves is why is Ramaphosa reluctant to allow an open and transparent process to proceed, and allow Parliament to conduct its work and practise its duties as enshrined in the Constitution?

“Why is Ramaphosa and the ANC so determined to stall the progress of investigating the crimes which happened at and are related to Phala Phala Farm?

“His actions are those of a guilty, who has no respect for the people of South Africa and will go to great lengths to cover up his criminality.”

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According to the party, the fact that Ramaphosa did not apply for the review on an urgent basis is proof he just wants to delay its processing by parliament until the ANC conference this month.

“Ramaphosa so disrespects the political parties in parliament that he has not even cited them as interested parties in his application. This is despite knowing that it is the norm and that parties have released many statements on the issue in the past few days, in particular the EFF and UDM which even made submissions to the panel.”

As a result, the party said it would defend the findings of the Section 89 panel “in public and in the courts”.

“Ramaphosa must and will be impeached for his grave violation of our constitution, and no amount of delay tactics will assist him.”