‘Held to ransom’: MPs slam Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala ‘Stalingrad’ tactics

Opposition parties have lashed out at President Cyril Ramaphosa, accusing him of “Stalingrad” tactics and seeking to “dictate” to the impeachment committee on the Phala Phala matter on how it should run proceedings against him.

This was after Ramaphosa on Tuesday night sent a letter to National Assembly speaker Thoko Didiza, impeachment committee chairperson Makashule Gana and secretary to parliament Xolile George, objecting to the selection of advocate Thandazani Madonsela (SC) as the section 89 impeachment committee’s evidence leader.

In his letter, Ramaphosa argued that Madonsela is not suitable to be the committee’s evidence leader, due to possible conflicts of interest, real or perceived.

He said this was because he had previously removed Madonsela as his representative at the Judicial Service Commission, which may lead to Madonsela harbouring a grievance against him.

Ramaphosa also cited ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula’s disclosure to parliament a fortnight ago that Madonsela has advised the party on issues related to the impeachment committee.

But when Gana and parliament’s in-house legal advisers tabled the letter on Wednesday morning, this did not sit well with the majority of parties, including the EFF, MK Party, ActionSA and the ACDP.

First sitting of the Impeachment Committee (Tara Roos) Ramaphosa only enjoys support from his own party’s MPs, and the government of national unity partners such as the DA and the IFP.

While the opposition parties wanted Ramaphosa’s letter to be thrown out immediately, the other parties wanted it to be referred to parliament’s lawyers to advise.

The opposition parties argued that Ramaphosa was in no position to object to their selection of an evidence leader, saying he had no right to dictate who should lead evidence against him.

“We can’t have a situation whereby whenever [we] want to move forward, he puts more obstacles. He clearly does not want this work to continue at all,” said MK Party parliamentary leader Dr John Hlophe, referencing the president’s court bid to interdict impeachment hearings against him.

EFF leader Julius Malema also weighed in, saying the president cannot be allowed to dictate to parliament the terms of holding him accountable.

“He wants to choose his own judge … I don’t even understand why you say we must wait for a legal opinion. We are proceeding, we can’t listen to what the president is saying as an opinion.

“Typical him, he’s trying to find another way he can delay this process, so we are not going to agree to that.”

“We are literally being held to ransom by this process. South Africans must be aware of what is happening here. We have a president who is evading accountability,” said ActionSA’s Lerato Ngobeni.

“What is important to note is that there are mischievous things that are going on in this particular process.”

“It looks like this process is never going to take off and it’s very clear what the motives are.”

But ANC MPs, including Cameron Dugmore and Faith Muthambi, said Ramaphosa was correctly exercising his legal rights.

After a lengthy debate, the matter was settled by vote and the meeting resolved to send the letter to parliament’s legal team for advice.