Phala Phala farm scandal taints President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Oath

President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to take an oath to uphold the country’s Constitution with the Phala Phala farm saga hanging over his head.

A section 89 panel established by then National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula found that he may have violated his oath of office over the undeclared foreign currency concealed in couches on his Phala Phala farm.

His swearing-in at the Union Buildings on Wednesday is bolstered by the DA’s support, affirming that it would not support Ramaphosa’s impeachment in Parliament unless “new evidence” emerged.

In a recent Radio 702 interview, DA Federal Council chairperson Helen Zille said: “We have not said in future we will never ever do anything but we will not support a motion of no confidence in the President ... that is definitely part of the agreement. If any evidence emerges of criminal wrongdoing or something like that we would have to look at the issues and deal with them inside the GNU, no question. We can’t be held hostage.”

Unisa lecturer in the Department of Jurisprudence Mametlwe Sebei said Ramaphosa did have a case to answer on the basis that he conceded that there was an auction and he held the foreign currency on his farm.

“The idea that the DA is irreconcilable with corruption is (incorrect), it's a question of who commits crime.

From their point of view and interest of the so-called market, it is not invisible hands, they mean the monopoly capitalists who use their control of economic power. The point of view of the capitalist class ... you have a billionaire president, not just in their service, one of their own. The capitalist class is predominantly white and foreign, culturally and racially separated, that is the main problem for them. (Ramaphosa) is one of the few they can have, within the black population, who are intimately linked with them,” he said.

As part of co-governing with the ANC and other smaller parties, the DA was reportedly in line to occupy key Cabinet positions when Ramaphosa announces his executive after being sworn in.

Policy analyst Nkosikhulule Nyembezi said after receiving the DA’s backing to oppose the no-confidence vote in him, Ramaphosa had become “surer of himself”.

“Some ANC leaders spy a sense of invincibility in his latest determination to accommodate so much of the DA’s conditions in the unity government at the expense of other competing views in the broad ANC alliance.

“He is creating a hedge of ministers and office-bearer MPs that will block his impeachment at any cost whenever small parties, as announced during the first sitting of Parliament, move to impeach him for the Phala Phala saga.

In doing so, he is also creating all the makings of a very bumpy ride on the way to several showdowns in the ANC and in all three spheres of government, as he must decisively remove from public office the tainted individuals he relies heavily on to stay in power,” Nyembezi said.

Crime and forensic expert Calvin Rafadi said: “This matter will never fade away. There will be criminal cases brought because there is a prima facie case that has to be ventilated in court. He has to answer that. You cannot charge a sitting president but that does not take the crime away. Him being a president just buys time.”

He said the DA for now was just “playing politics”.

“They want the ministry in the presidency or deputy presidency.

They are putting up roses to favour them. We cannot trust politicians, they’ve proven to us they are inconsistent.”

Cape Times

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