By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Political parties represented in Parliament will apply to Parliament for a motion of no confidence against President Cyril Ramaphosa.
The parties, include the EFF, UDM, ATM and Cope, DA, believe Ramaphosa has a case to answer in Parliament and should be held accountable.
However the motion will be brought without the support of the second biggest party in Parliament, the DA.
They told a media briefing they wanted Ramaphosa removed from office to allow investigations into the theft of foreign currency from his Phala Phala game farm to proceed unhindered.
Ramaphosa has faced mounting pressure since revelations emerged in June that he was a victim of a robbery at his Phala Phala farm in Limpopo in February 2020.
Most opposition political parties in Parliament have been meeting for several weeks to discuss the matter, and at their last meeting they decided to move forward with the request for a motion of no confidence.
EFF leader Julius Malema said all parties, except the DA, agreed to bring a motion of no confidence forward in Parliament.
Malema said, however, the parties want the vote on the motion to be held in secret.
“By the admission of the President that there were dollars under mattresses and sofas of the President, and that resources of the state were used without any case being opened – its reason enough to pass a motion of no confidence against the President, “Malema said
The DA’s deputy chief whip Siviwe Gwarube said that while the party agreed that Ramaphosa be held accountable, it did not believe a motion of no confidence was the best route.
The DA wants the processes that is under way to take place first before a motion is explored.
“We believe moving forward a motion of no confidence simultaneously with the Section 89 inquiry will undermine the results we seek from this process, holding Ramaphosa accountable and ensuring that Parliament does its oversight work in this regard,” Gwarube said.
Motions of no confidence are governed by section 102 of the Constitution and require a simple majority in the national assembly to carry, whereas the impeachment falls under section 89 and requires a two-thirds majority.
Earlier this month, National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula approved the African Transformation Movement’s (ATM) request for a Section 89 committee to probe Ramaphosa’s fitness to hold office.
However, before the committee can be established, a panel will have to probe whether Ramaphosa has a case to answer.
On this matter, Malema said: “We will jointly and individually submit the names of former Judges Mogoeng Mogoeng, Dikgang Moseneke, Bernard Ngoepe, and Yvonne Mokgoro to the Parliamentary Section 89 independent panel that will investigate the conduct of Ramaphosa.
The DA has insisted for an ad hoc committee to be set up in order to investigate the allegations against Ramaphosa.
In doing so, they are hoping to limit the speaker’s discretion in the matter, or at least for it to be a matter of public record should she ignore the opposition nominations in favour of the names proposed by the ruling party.
Meanwhile a suspicious package was left unattended at the Parliamentary precincts on Wednesday morning.
Parliament’s spokesperson Moloto Mothapo said the area was immediately cordoned off.
“While the police remain at the precincts and are undertaking necessary precautionary measures, Parliament confirms there is no immediate danger posed to the parliamentary community,” he said.