The National Assembly will on December 6 debate the report of the independent panel of experts into the theft of millions of US dollars at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm in February 2020.
This comes after National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula extended the deadline for the submission of the report from November 16 to November 30.
The panel, led by retired chief justice Sandile Ngcobo, is probing whether Ramaphosa has a case to answer after the burglary at his Limpopo farm was not reported to the police. It is also considering whether there is a prima-facie case for parliament to institute impeachment processes against the president.
On Thursday, the National Assembly’s programming committee resolved to extend the programme of the House to December 6 to consider the Phala Phala report.
“The House was initially scheduled to rise on 1 December for leave and constituency programme. In terms of National Assembly rule 129G, the panel was supposed to submit the report of its work to the speaker within 30 days, by 17 November 2022,” parliament said in a statement.
“However, the panel was granted an extension to report on 30 November 2022 following a request by the panel’s chairperson, retired chief justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa, Justice Sandile Ngcobo.”
The EFF welcomed the decision to set a date to debate the panel’s report, noting in a statement that an extension was granted to ensure that Ramaphosa heads into the elective conference of the ANC in December without being exposed on Phala.
The ANC holds its elective conference from December 16-20, during which Ramaphosa is set to square off with former health minister Zweli Mkhize for the party’s throne.
“Ideally, those who are determined to cover up the crimes of Phala Phala will not release any information regarding what happened on the farm until Ramaphosa has secured his political interests,” the EFF said.
“The EFF will study the report closely ahead of the debate in parliament.”
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