South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa don start legal challenge against report wey parliament commission say fit lead to impeachment for am. Di president file application for High Court for Cape Town on Tuesday, say di panel wey do di report misinterpret di charges against am.
Di matter wey local media dey call ‘Farmgate’ start for 2020, when $580,000 wey dem hide for sofa for Ramaphosa private farm for Phala Phala for Limpopo province allegedly thief. Di president deny any wrongdoing, say di cash na proceeds from legitimate buffalo sale.
For 2022, independent panel find say Ramaphosa may don commit serious misconduct, and say im get case to answer. But di president argue say di panel ‘misconceive its mandate, misjudge di information before am, and misinterpret di four charges’ against am. Di charges include violating di constitution and serious misconduct.
Earlier dis month, di Constitutional Court rule say parliament act unconstitutionally when dem vote against establishing impeachment inquiry for 2022. At dat time, Ramaphosa African National Congress (ANC) party get parliamentary majority, but after 2024 general election, dem lose majority and now dey govern as part of coalition.
Di Speaker of parliament, Thoko Didiza, don form impeachment committee wey get 31 MPs from 16 political parties, including nine from ANC. Di committee go decide weda dem get grounds to start impeachment proceedings.
For im court submission, Ramaphosa say im no make application lightly, but argue say di report should set aside and annul di impeachment process. Im warn say if National Assembly proceed with impeachment while im challenge dey pending, im go be ‘compelled’ to seek interdict from court.
Ramaphosa say di panel fail to consider weda di evidence show serious violation, and say dem base dia conclusions on hearsay from former State Security Agency head Arthur Fraser. Im argue say di panel no test weda di evidence lawfully obtain and weda na hearsay.
Di president also say di panel no assess weda im act in bad faith, wey be key for definition of serious misconduct. Im say ‘there was no evidence, let alone sufficient evidence, because all di panel get na Mr Fraser say-so.’
Di case respondents include Didiza, former chief justice Sandile Ngcobo, Judge Thokozile Masipa, advocate Mahlape Sello, and African Transformation Movement leader Vuyo Zungula.
Ramaphosa say im trust say National Assembly no go proceed with impeachment while application dey pending, but if dem do, im go launch urgent interdict application. Di matter dey urgent and for public interest say dem determine am without delay.
