National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza says she is still studying the contents of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s court application seeking to stop Parliament’s impeachment process.
The application was served on Parliament on Friday and asks the courts to suspend the work of the Impeachment Committee while a judicial review of Parliament’s Section 89 report is underway.
Ramaphosa is facing impeachment proceedings linked to his conduct following the theft of US dollars from his Phala Phala farm in 2020. The president maintains that Parliament’s report on the matter contains serious flaws and should be reviewed before the process continues.
ATM Moves To Oppose Ramaphosa Interdict Application
The African Transformation Movement (ATM) has confirmed it will oppose Ramaphosa’s bid to halt the proceedings.
In a letter sent to the president by its legal representatives, the party outlined several grounds on which it intends challenging the application.
ATM parliamentary leader Vuyo Zungula, who initiated the impeachment process against Ramaphosa in 2022, questioned the urgency of the court application.
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Zungula said he does not believe Ramaphosa’s interdict application is urgent and that the urgency has been “self-created”.
Ramaphosa wants the court to prevent Parliament from advancing the impeachment process until it has reviewed the findings of the independent panel report that prompted Parliament to take further action under Section 89.
The ATM has asked for the matter to be heard as early as next week, stating that its legal team will not be available after that period.
EFF Accuses President Of Delaying Accountability
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has also announced its intention to oppose the application.
The party argues that Ramaphosa is attempting to delay accountability through continued legal action.
Having previously approached the Constitutional Court to compel Parliament to establish an Impeachment Committee, the EFF said it would defend that court order.
The party further stated that there is currently no legal obstacle preventing the committee from carrying out its responsibilities.
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“The Impeachment Committee is set to convene next week Wednesday to decide on its terms of reference and its structures.”
The EFF said that unless the court grants the interdict, Parliament’s impeachment process should continue.
“Instead of welcoming an opportunity to clear his name before the impeachment committee, he has chosen to wage an endless legal battle against the very process designed to establish the truth,” the party said in a statement.
Impeachment Committee Set To Meet Next Week
The Impeachment Committee is expected to meet next Wednesday to determine its terms of reference and establish its operational structures.
Its work continues to attract significant political attention as parties prepare for a legal battle over whether Parliament can proceed with the impeachment process while Ramaphosa’s review application is before the courts.
