President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala Farm scandal is clouding his presidential inauguration at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.
Ramaphosa was sworn in by the Chief Justice, Raymond Zondo, after he was elected by the national assembly on Friday. He was elected to serve a second term as president of the seventh administration.
As Ramaphosa took the oath of office, opposition party ActionSA revealed it was working overtime to ensure that he does not enjoy his reign. It said this will be the case for as long as the Phala Phala Farm matter still hangs over his head.
Athol Trollip, ActionSA parliamentary caucus leader, insisted that Ramaphosa should be held accountable for the scandal.
Wants president to face impeachment
The party is supporting the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) fight on the matter. The EFF had approached the Constitutional Court to revisit the Phala Phala matter. The matter involves $580,000 in cash being stolen at the Phala Phala farm. The cash, belonging to Ramaphosa, was allegedly hidden under the sofa.
Trollip said it was heartwarming that the Constitutional Court has agreed to take on an application on the matter. The application is for Ramaphosa to face impeachment.
He condemned Parliament’s decision to strike down the adaptation of the independent report into the matter. Trollip said this was an abuse of the ANC’s parliamentary majority. He claimed it was more concerning that the Democratic Alliance (DA) was also turning a blind eye on the matter. This as they (DA) share government power under the Government of National Unity (GNU).
“ActionSA believes that President Ramaphosa must account for the Phala Phala dollars saga. That it is the responsibility of every member of Parliament to ensure the integrity of Parliament. Whether they are part of the ruling coalition or not. They must ensure that the laws enshrined in our constitution are upheld,” said Trollip.
Unhappy with the DA’s stance against impeachment
“Therefore, while others have ditched the opposition benches to form a government with the very people they called treasonous, corrupt, kleptocratic, incompetent, and criminal; ActionSA will continue to ensure that we waste no time in fulfilling our mandate and holding the executive to account.”
The DA highlighted that they would not entertain any parliamentary impeachment of Ramaphosa. This unless new evidence was presented. The party now serves as a co-governing party under the GNU,
It put it on record that they fully supported the inauguration of Ramaphosa as president of the country.
