Opposition parties adamant Ramaphosa must account

The ACDP, ATM, DA, EFF, IFP NFP and UDM, who on Wednesday agreed to hold President Cyril Ramaphosa accountable following a meeting held in Johannesburg this week.Image:file

The ACDP, ATM, DA, EFF, IFP NFP and UDM, who on Wednesday agreed to hold President Cyril Ramaphosa accountable following a meeting held in Johannesburg this week.Image:file

Published Aug 4, 2022

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SIYABONGA SITHOLE

South Africa's opposition parties, represented in Parliament, agree on one thing: "Ramaphosa must account for the Phala Phala farm scandal".

This is according to a joint statement issued by opposition parties that include the ACDP, ATM, DA, EFF, IFP NFP and UDM, who on Wednesday agreed to hold President Cyril Ramaphosa accountable following a meeting held in Johannesburg this week.

According to a statement issued by the EFF and endorsed by all the above parties, during the the meeting, it was agreed and resolved by the parties to ramp up the heat with regards to the Phala Phala allegations through a series of engagements and approaches to hold Ramaphosa responsible for his alleged under-handed deeds that have since emerged since Arthur Fraser laid a formal complaint to the Rosebank police on 1 June 2022.

"We were unanimous that the president must be held accountable as a matter of urgency, and no delays, distractions and procrastination should be permitted," the statement says.

The meeting between the country's leading opposition parties comes after National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula missed her own deadline to hold Ramaphosa accountable on the Phala Phala matter through an ad hoc committee which the parties had requested.

It is reported that all the opposition parties expressed their concerns and dissatisfaction with the manner in which Mapisa-Nqakula has handled the demands made by the opposition to hold the President accountable through parliamentary processes.

"We are also in agreement that the concealment of the president's responses to the public protector on the Phala Phala matter is unacceptable and must be challenged," the parties say.

Among the principles agreed upon by the parties involved is that Parliament must hold Ramaphosa accountable for the violation of the laws of this country, with the parties also agreeing to hold broader consultations and engagements on a common approach in getting the president to be held liable for the farm debacle.

The parties also call for the public protector to release the report on the investigations on Phala Phala and for parliament to be physically convened to deal with this matter urgently.

"Opposition parties will request a follow-up meeting with the speaker to discuss all accountability issues, including the usage of a secret ballot for motions of no confidence, and as opposition parties, we will intensify our collective and individual court actions against the speaker of the national assembly and all other institutions that are attempting to suppress parliament's constitutional obligations to hold the executive and parliament accountable, "reads part of the statement.

Furthermore, the parties have agreed to continue engaging on a way forward with a meeting scheduled for Wednesday, 10 August, to finalise a common approach to tackle the Phala Phala matter.