ActionSA rejects President Cyril Ramaphosa’s urgent application to interdict Parliament’s Section 89 impeachment committee from commencing its work. The Constitutional Court – South Africa’s Apex Court – has already ruled that Parliament acted unlawfully in halting the original impeachment process and cannot now be asked to abandon its constitutional obligations simply because the President wishes to avoid scrutiny.
The institution of legal proceedings does not suspend Parliament’s duty to hold the President accountable.
Ramaphosa argues that an impeachment inquiry may cause him irreparable reputational harm. Yet the purpose of the Section 89 process is not to protect the reputation of the President, but to protect the integrity of the Constitution, the Presidency and Parliament itself. South Africans have waited more than six years for full accountability in relation to the Phala Phala matter.
ActionSA remains firmly of the view that the Section 89 Committee must proceed with its work unless and until a competent court orders otherwise. Parliament’s constitutional responsibilities cannot be indefinitely suspended through litigation. The Committee exists precisely to establish the facts, consider the evidence and determine whether the President’s conduct meets the threshold contemplated in Section 89 of the Constitution.
We therefore implore all parties represented in Parliament, including those participating in the Government of National Unity, to defend Parliament’s constitutional independence and reject any attempt to shield the President from accountability. We further urge the Chairperson of the Section 89 Committee, Makashule Gana MP, to ensure that the Committee’s work proceeds without fear, favour or prejudice, and that Parliament does not once again find itself on the wrong side of the Constitution.
South Africans deserve transparency, honesty and equal application of the law. No person, including a sitting President of the Republic, is above constitutional scrutiny.
ActionSA Member Base: Uses an “Activist” model rather than traditional branch structures.
Morbid Sugar
A South African, an Australian and an Englishman are all having a drink
The Englishman and South African both drink from Pint Glasses, the Australian from a bottle.
The South African, upon draining his glass, drops in back down on the bar, pulls out a pistol, and shoots the glass.
\”In South Africa, there is so much sand that I never drink from the same glass twice!\”
The Australian, having drained his bottle, sets it down upon the bar and, upon seizing the South African\’s pistol, shoots his bottle.
\”In Australia, there is so much booze that I never drink from the same brand twice!\”
The Englishman, likewise having drained his glass, sets his glass upon the table, seizes the pistol the pistol from the Australian, and shoots the South African and the Australian, quite dead.
\”In England, there are so many of you bastards that I never drink with the same two twice!\”
Granola
I was pretty surprised to learn Elon Musk was born in South Africa
I thought he was born in Mad-at-gas-car