SIYABONGA SITHOLE
THE African Transformation Movement says it welcomes the decision by National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula to initiate a Section 89 process against President Cyril Ramaphosa with Parliament set to appoint an independent panel to oversee the process.
The president, who is accused of fraud, money laundering and kidnapping owing to an unreported robbery and theft incident at his Phala Phala farm on February 20, 2020 has been under pressure since former State Security head, Arthur Fraser laid a complaint at Rosebank police station on June 1. This past week, seven opposition parties represented in Parliament met to discuss a strategy and approach to hold Ramaphosa accountable with another meeting between these parties set for Wednesday, August 10.
In a statement issued on Friday, ATM said Ramaphosa had no less than four transgressions against him which included, violation of 34(1) of the Precca Act which encourages everyone to report theft or corruption of amounts more than R100 000. The party also said the president had violated section 96(2)(b) of misconduct due to the fact that he gave an unlawful instruction to the head of protection services to investigate a burglary instead of reporting the matter to DPCI as required by the law.
Furthermore, ATM said Ramaphosa’s conduct violated section 96 (2)(a)and (b) of the Constitution for doing paid work despite being prohibited to do so as a member of the Cabinet.
“The president has already publicly announced that this was a commercial transaction where he sold live stock and game. He event went further to explain that these transactions were either in cash or transfers,” ATM leader Vuyo Zungula said.
In a further charge, ATM said Ramaphosa put himself in a situation that exposed him to conflict of interest between his official duty as president and private interests.
“The ATM welcomes that the Speaker has switched on the process in terms of Section 89 of the Constitution. Noting that the affidavit of Mr Arthur Fraser as submitted in the Rosebank police station confirmed a lot of primafacie evidence by way of videos, photographs and bank statements of people with hands tied behind their backs and foreign currency to corroborate serious allegations and the flouting of immigration laws,” the party added.
In a letter addressed to the president of ATM, Vuyo Zungula, National Assembly Speaker, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula acknowledged that the proposed impeachment process lodged by the party now complied with the rules of Parliament.
“As you are aware of processes and procedures on National Assembly are governed by the Constitution. The rules and established practices. The procedure to give effect to Section 89 enquiry on removal of the president is outlined in rules 129 A-Q,” the Speaker said.