President Cyril Ramaphosa is still consulting on whether to resign or not in the wake of a damning report into his conduct in relation to the theft that occurred at his Phala Phala farm in 2020.
As the country hangs on knife edge, expecting to be addressed by Ramaphosa, his spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said on Thursday night that president was still consulting with those close to him and stakeholders such as his party, the ANC, and its alliance, the SACP as well as Cosatu.
Magwenya’s address came after yet another dramatic day when calls for Ramaphosa to step down increased. The presidency – Magwenya – had cancelled a weekly briefing and Ramaphosa’s appearance before the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) as the president continued to process the report and the political fallout deepened.
A section 89 panel, headed by retired chief justice Sandile Ngcobo, found that Ramaphosa may have violated the constitution by failing to report the theft that happened at his farm and abusing his office by going after suspects alleged to have helped themselves to more than $800 000 that was stashed in a sofa.
Magweya said Ramaphosa was still considering options before making a decision.
“The president appreciates the urgency of this issue; the president apricates the enormity of this issue, what it means for the country, the stability of government. He is still processing the report, but in that exercise, he is also engaging a number of role players and stakeholders,” he said
“We are in an unprecedented and extraordinary moment as a constitutional democracy as a result of the report. Therefore, whatever the decision the president makes, the decision has to be informed by the best interest of the country and that decision cannot be rushed and cannot be taken in haste,” he added., adding that Ramaphosa was not “panicking”.
Magwenya’s update came as rumour swirled that Ramaphosa had indicated to those close to him that he is calling it quits.
The ANC will on Friday hold a make-or-break meeting of its national executive committee at the Nasrec Expo centre, the venue of its elective conference in just over two weeks.
Earlier, the Presidency cancelled two important engagements scheduled for Thursday morning as opposition parties intensified their calls for President Cyril Ramaphosa to resign.
Ramaphosa wrote to the National Council of Provinces to request postponement of his appearance in the afternoon to answer questions related to what government is doing to deal with the country’s loadshedding crisis.
The EFF slammed Ramaphosa for not attending his question-and-answer session in the NCOP, saying he is operating like a fugitive.
“Ramaphosa is compelled by the Constitution to account to Parliament, and he cannot avoid these obligations simply because of his cowardice, and that he has been revealed as a scoundrel. Ramaphosa has now not only violated the Constitution, but he has spat in the face of millions of
South Africans who deserve accountability through Parliament,” a statement reads
“The EFF cautions Ramaphosa and advises him that he cannot hide forever. His best course of action remains immediate resignation, because he will never know peace in any sitting of Parliament because the EFF will never allow a money launderer, kidnapper, torturer and
constitutional delinquent to address the people of this country. Ramaphosa has forfeited the privilege of being a President, and no amount of running away will rescue him,” it adds.
For its part, the DA has called for early elections.
“Now is the time to stand up and be counted. The Democratic Alliance calls for a national election – not one involving 4000 delegates at an ANC conference, but one that gives all South Africans the opportunity to determine their future. A future free of corruption, a future with jobs, a future for our children,” DA leader John Steenhuisen said.
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