The ANC’s leftist alliance partner, the SACP, has thrown its weight behind President Cyril Ramaphosa, saying calls for his resignation after the release of the report by an independent panel on the theft at his Phala Phala farm are premature.
The SACP decided that the findings and recommendations of the panel report remain legally inconclusive. Using words like "may" showed the degree of uncertainty of the findings, SACP general secretary Solly Mapaila said on Sunday.
“If this matter is not handled properly, SA may implode,” said Mapaila at a media briefing. He said that Ramaphosa consulted the party before deciding to take the report on review.
Ramaphosa has been facing pushback from within the ANC, including from co-operative governance & traditional affairs minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, tourism minister Lindiwe Sisulu and ANC national executive member Tony Yengeni to resign over the report. The panel found that the president may have a case to answer for paving the way for his possible impeachment.
Business Day previously reported that Ramaphosa intends not to resign and intends to contest his presidency at the ANC’s conference in two weeks.
The legal review may scupper the bid of opposition parties in parliament to pass a motion of no confidence on Tuesday when the National Assembly reconvenes.
“The findings and recommendations of the panel remain legally inconclusive... As such, the report may be subjected to judicial review by the president,” Mapaila said.
“It is also unfortunate that this matter is now being weaponised for factional manoeuvres within our movement as we approach the 55th national conference this December.”
SACP chair Blade Nzimande said that the matter “is negatively affecting the image of the organisation [ANC] and spilling into the government. It could led to instability if not properly handled.”
Labour federation Cosatu, which is part of the ANC-led alliance, has chosen to make no pronouncements over the panel’s section 89 report.
The ANC is expected to rally around the president in parliament, arguing that because he is taking the report on review, parliament cannot adopt it until the legal process has been finalised.
The ANC’s national working committee (NWC), which is responsible for handling the party’s daily matters, met on Sunday to deliberate on the Phala Phala report. The recommendations of the NWC are expected to be presented to the national executive committee on Monday.
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