By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Political parties with some ANC members, braced scorching heat in Pretoria on Friday to march on the public protector’s office to demand Kholeka Gcaleka release the report on Phala Phala.
The EFF, ACDP, COPE, UDM and ATM leaders led a few hundred supporters to the Office of the Public Protector in Pretoria on Friday, and held a picket to demand the release of the findings of the Phala Phala investigation.
Addressing the crowd on Friday, EFF president Julius Malema said the parties were concerned that it has been more than 80 days since former State Security Agency (SSA) director-general Arthur Fraser laid criminal charges with the police.
Malema also questioned why the Public Protector’s office, which is investigating whether the president violated the Executive Members’ Ethics Code, has not yet released its report.
“Since [Gcaleka] took over as Acting Public Protector she says we are intimidating and bullying [but] we have not done anything to you my sister. We are asking you to do an honourable thing and release the report,” he said.
“Instead of releasing the report after 30 days as stated by the law, you come and say to us I’m not ready to release the report. The law doesn’t say after 30 days come and tell us the status of the report… it says release the report.
Release the parts of the report which are ready and say to us it is not a complete report, but I’ll come come back to give you the full report. We want the report released immediately,” Malema added.
Although the Public Protector Act states should the office not be able to submit a report after the 30 days lapse, it must submit another report when the investigation has been completed.
Other political party leaders present took similar approaches in their attacks on Ramaphosa.
Cope leader Willie Madisha said: “We are tired because you (Gcaleka) are protecting thieves instead of dealing with this problem we are faced with. You should have dealt with this problem a long time ago. We are extremely angry. Ramaphosa and the whole ANC must go away because they are not the people who are supposed to lead our country. They are thieves.”
UDM MP Nqabayomzi Kwankwa claimed several ANC members were keen on joining the opposition on the Phala Phala matter, but the ANC did not believe in a democracy.
He said Ramaphosa had to be held to the same standard as former president Jacob Zuma.
“President Ramaphosa lied on every platform. The strangest thing is that even in the media, those who were willing to hold the bar high in the years of president Zuma are now deciding to put the bar of accountability at ankle level. The PP needs to release the report with immediate effect. As Parliament, we will ensure he steps aside.”
Meanwhile Ramaphosa has noted Friday’s Western Cape High Court’s ruling against him, and will seek guidance from the constitution on a way forward.
The Western Cape High Court ruled that the decision by Ramaphosa to suspend Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane is invalid.
Mkhwebane was suspended by Ramaphosa a day after she announced that she would be investigating him for crimes committed in relation to Phala Phala Farm robbery that took place in February 2020.