The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) condemns the reckless, irrational, and irresponsible decision by the Speaker of the National Assembly, Thoko Didiza, not to oppose President Cyril Ramaphosa’s urgent application to interdict the impeachment proceedings in the Western Cape High Court.
This decision is a shameful abdication of constitutional responsibility by the Speaker and goes against established precedent to defend the integrity and independence of Parliament as an arm of the state.
The impeachment process is not a personal dispute between the President and his political opponents. It is a constitutional mechanism designed to ensure that no individual, regardless of status or office, is above the law. When Parliament initiates impeachment proceedings, it acts on behalf of the people of South Africa and in fulfilment of its constitutional oversight mandate. The Speaker therefore has a duty to defend Parliament’s authority and protect the separation of powers.
The Impeachment Committee took a decision, supported by an overwhelming majority of members, to oppose Ramaphosa’s application to interdict the Committee from proceeding with its work. Guided by a sound and competent legal opinion, the Committee correctly concluded that its work is instructed by a Constitutional Court judgment and that a lower court cannot interdict a constitutionally mandated parliamentary process.
The EFF is deeply concerned that, despite the Speaker’s constitutional obligations and despite a sound legal opinion she commissioned herself recommending that the application be opposed, she has chosen a partisan and irrational path. This effectively means the Speaker is disregarding two competent legal opinions, one obtained by the Impeachment Committee and one obtained by herself, both of which strongly support opposition to the President’s application.
How the Speaker arrived at this conclusion remains unclear, as no coherent legal basis has been provided for such a drastic departure from both legal opinions and the collective decision of the Impeachment Committee.
The EFF is equally concerned that the Speaker has not indicated whether she intends to oppose President Ramaphosa’s application to set aside the Ngcobo Panel report, which forms a central part of this litigation. This deepens uncertainty around Parliament’s legal position and raises serious concerns about further irrational decisions at the eleventh hour.
The EFF welcomes the decision by the Chairperson of the Impeachment Committee to file a notice to oppose the President’s application. The EFF considers Didiza’s conduct to be the highest form of irresponsibility, undermining the integrity of the Constitution and South Africa’s democratic project. The EFF is losing confidence in Didiza, who has repeatedly demonstrated her inability to discharge her constitutional responsibilities as the head of an independent arm of the state. Her conduct continues to undermine Parliament’s integrity and independence, while subordinating it to the factional political interests of the ANC and its President.
The EFF supports the establishment of a universal basic income grant.
Paris Boost
Chow – to eat / food. Often used when talking about food, this term can be used as a verb, meaning to eat, or when talking about the food itself.Example: “Let’s chow my bru!” / “This chow is spicy!”
Natural Mess
If three out of five people are suffering from diarrhoea, are the others enjoying it?