A 31-member parliamentary committee will now determine whether President Cyril Ramaphosa faces impeachment proceedings following a Constitutional Court ruling that found Parliament previously acted inconsistently with the constitution.
National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza has announced the composition of the Impeachment Committee, which will investigate the theft of foreign currency from the President’s Phala Phala farm. The move follows last week’s Constitutional Court ruling on Parliament’s handling of an independent panel report that found Ramaphosa may have a case to answer.
On Wednesday, Didiza met with party representatives to chart a way forward on forming the committee, with Friday set as the deadline to submit names. The Speaker also referred the Constitutional Court ruling to Parliament’s rules subcommittee to review changes needed to National Assembly rules governing impeachment proceedings.
The top court found that Parliament acted inconsistently with the constitution in 2022 when the African National Congress used its majority to block the impeachment process against Ramaphosa.
Didiza considered not only the constitutional principle of proportional representation but also the need for inclusivity and broad participation in what she called “this unprecedented parliamentary process.” Accordingly, she said, “the determination seeks to balance traditional proportional representation with a measure of inclusivity so as to ensure that smaller political parties which may otherwise not be accommodated through a strict mathematical application of proportional representation are also afforded representation and participation.”
The impeachment committee will consist of 31 members of parliament from 16 parties represented in the National Assembly. Parliament confirmed the body will have nine ANC members, five from the Democratic Alliance, three from the MK Party, two from the Economic Freedom Fighters, and one each from the IFP, PA, FF Plus, Action SA, ACDP, UDM, RISE Mzansi, BOSA, ATM, Al Jama-ah, NCC, and UAT.
ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula said the party’s special National Executive Committee will help guide its next move in the National Assembly.
“No one can pronounce or say anything without that guidance from the National Executive Committee,” Mbalula said. “Guide the structures, guide our caucus and everything that is to follow when it comes to the outcome.”
Mbalula added that the ANC will engage with coalition partners in the government of national unity. “We’re not a majority,” he said. “We know that if somebody comes with a motion of no confidence, you need 50% plus one, and when you want to remove the president, you need two-thirds majority. Nobody will remove the president here without us if they come even with impeachment.”
The ANC’s National Executive Committee will give feedback on its meeting just before Ramaphosa answers questions before the National Assembly.