The EFF claims that the ANC is intentionally holding back its list of parliamentary nominees to shield President Cyril Ramaphosa from being held accountable over the Phala Phala farm scandal.
Image: Timothy Bernard / Independent Newspapers
The EFF has accused the ANC of deliberately obstructing the parliamentary process to shield President Cyril Ramaphosa from impeachment, following reports that the party missed the deadline to submit names of members who will serve on the impeachment committee due to internal factional disputes.
This is after Sunday reports that ANC Chief Whip Mdumiseni Ntuli and Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula clashed over party representation on the committee.
However, the EFF dismissed this narrative as a “dishonest political smokescreen designed to conceal the ANC’s intentional obstruction of Parliament’s constitutional obligations".
“The real issue is not ANC infighting. The real issue is that the ANC is refusing to deploy members to the impeachment committee because it seeks to delay and frustrate the work of the committee itself,” said spokesperson Sinawo Thambo.
ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri did not respond at the time of this publication.
The 31-member parliamentary impeachment committee was initiated following the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) ruling that Parliament’s December 2022 vote blocking an impeachment inquiry into Ramaphosa was unconstitutional and invalid.
The court ordered the National Assembly to refer the Section 89 Independent Panel report, which found prima facie evidence that Ramaphosa may have committed a serious violation of the Constitution and the law regarding the Phala Phala farm scandal, to the impeachment committee.
The committee is expected to compile a comprehensive report, incorporating all dissenting views, and advise the National Assembly on whether the President should be removed.
The ANC holds 9 seats, followed by the DA (5), MK Party (3), EFF (2), and one seat each for other political parties.
Sinawo said that by withholding its nominations, the ANC is deliberately undermining the implementation of Section 89 and frustrating the lawful functioning of Parliament.
He added that the party knows fully well that without the formal constitution of the committee, its work cannot effectively begin.
“Any reasonable observer would conclude that the current delays are part of a broader political strategy to shield Ramaphosa from accountability and to weaken the impeachment process before it even begins, said Sinawo, adding that the ANC is once again proving that it will manipulate Parliament, abuse procedure and manufacture confusion whenever accountability threatens those in power.
Political analyst Kim Heller said ANC’s failure to meet the deadline is a calculated “Stalingrad” tactic designed to shield President Ramaphosa, making a mockery of accountability and the promise of clean governance.
“With only 9 of 31 seats, the ANC is politically vulnerable, particularly if opposition parties use the delay to consolidate a coordinated and aggressive posture,” she said.
Another political analyst, Zakhele Ndlovu, said this also indicates a disorganised approach, or deliberate stalling tactic to buy time and shield Ramaphosa.
Ndlovu added that this also shows that Ramaphosa is doing everything in his power to delay and derail the process.
“This is a perfect opportunity for the opposition to frame both the ANC and the opposition as actively undermining constitutional oversight. The irony of it all is that the GNU proclaimed itself adherents of the constitutional order while branding the opposition constitutional delinquents,” he said.
Governance expert and political analyst Sandile Swana said the “Stalingrad” approach has started with the ANC “deliberately” failing to meet the deadline when its main partner in the GNU was the first party to submit all the names on time.
“They are hoping to create all kinds of administrative chaos and crises in the process, and disrupt and delay the process itself, " said Swana, adding that Ramaphosa’s chances of succeeding in interdicting the process are slim.
He said the impeachment and delays from the ANC should be used by the opposition parties to capitalise.
“This is an election year, and this is a political capital that is being handed over to them. And this disgraceful conduct of the ANC is a better cost compared to the disgrace that will emerge when the truth about what happened in Phala Phala comes out in the hearings.”
manyane.manyane@inl.co.za