By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Progressive Caucus in Parliament has vowed to revive the Phala Phala impeachment process to hold the sitting president accountable for all the abuses of power, in terms of the constitution and the laws of this country.
In 2023, a Section 89 Independent Panel sanctioned by Parliament found that president Cyril Ramaphosa had a case to answer in Parliament.
Former spy boss Arthur Fraser accused Ramaphosa of attempting to cover up the theft of thousands of US dollars from his private game farm in February 2020.
On Wednesday, the Democratic Alliance (DA) said it will unlikely support a motion of no confidence against Ramaphosa if the Phala Phala matter returns to Parliament.
The parties briefed the media in Cape Town ahead of the opening of parliament on Thursday. The caucus includes MK Party, EFF, ATM and United Africans Transformation (UAT).
The MK party’s chief whip, John Hlophe said, they will revive of the Phala Phala impeachment process to hold the sitting president accountable for all the abuses of power.
In June, the EFF sent a letter to National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza, requesting the revival of Ramaphosa impeachment proceedings.
“Phala Phala has been submitted to her through a formal letter and she [Didiza] will have to follow the Parliament processes to respond to us. The seventh Parliament can deal with any matter, there’s no way some should say the matter was dealt with by the sixth Parliament, therefore, the seventh Parliament can’t deal with it.”
Hlophe added that the Government of National Unity (GNU) lacked political legitimacy. Regardless of what happens in the coming month, Hlophe stressed the Progressive Caucus would continue to grow as a force.
Hlophe, said the caucus will also push for several proposals, bills and inquiries, including the amendment of the constitution to allow for the expropriation of land without compensation.
The Progressive Caucus was formed in response to what they perceived as the ANC’s betrayal of the liberation movement by forming an alliance with neo-liberal” parties.
EFF commander-in-chief Julius Malema said, “It is so opportunistic for DA to say it will not vote for Phala Phala impeachment because of VBS. When we were voting in favour of Phala Phala impeachment report, the VBS story was there.”
On the leaked Tshifhiwa Matodzi affidavit, Malema called it “sponsored propaganda aimed at defocusing the EFF”.
He added that “Phala Phala is not dead”, and threatened to push for a new investigative panel to be established.
Malema said it was disappointing that the UDM, PAC, and Al-Jama Ah left the Progressive Caucus, labelling them cowards.
He said the three parties were not brave enough to announce that they will be leaving for the GNU. They boldly stood against the GNU under the Progressive Alliance.
Citing insurmountable ideological differences, Malema predicted that the GNU would last a year at best.
If unrest within the parties did not bring it to an end, he said that the next ANC conference would end Ramaphosa’s vision by having him removed.
He accused the GNU members of parliament of putting “preference of blue lights over the people of the country” and saying they had to “eat on the way out” as they would not be returning for the next parliament.
Malema was encouraged by the actions of the ANC in Gauteng in rejecting the DA, saying they would work with the party to set an example of what can be achieved by an ANC-EFF alliance.
Meanwhile National Assembly resolved to officially recognise uMkhonto Wesizwe Party as the official Opposition in Parliament.
This announcement was made on Thursday, 18 July during the opening of Parliament in Cape Town.
The National Assembly’s Rules Committee, in its third meeting on Wednesday evening, 17 resolved to officially recognise MK as the official opposition in the House.
Parliament spokesman, Moloto Mothapo, said that Section 57(2) of the Constitution allows for the recognition of the “Leader of the Opposition” and Section 32 of the NA Rules also stipulates that the leader of the largest opposition party in the Assembly shall be recognised as the Leader of the Opposition.
Traditionally, the leader of the political party with the second-largest number of seats in the NA occupies the position of Leader of the Opposition,” Mothapo said.
“However, following the national and provincial elections in May, which led to the formation of the Government of National Unity (GNU) and with the second-largest party, the Democratic Alliance, joining the GNU, the uMkhonto Wesizwe Party (MKP) now assumes the role of the official opposition,” Mothapo he added.
Hlophe said thus, in accordance with the Constitution and the NA Rules, assumes the role of the Leader of the opposition.