MPs reject Phala Phala report

Parliament has rejected an independent panel’s report into the Phala Phala farm theft.

This means President Cyril Ramaphosa won’t face impeachment at this stage.

The report found that Ramaphosa may have violated the Constitution in relation to the 2020 burglary at his Limpopo farm.

The impeachment “inquiry will therefore not be proceeded with”, National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula said.

Earlier, Mapisa-Nqakula stood firm on her decision to have the Phala Phala report saga to be voted in an open ballot.

She said despite allegations of intimidation and threats against some MPs, the House is not toxic enough that lawmakers would be scared to vote with their conscience.

Mapisa-Nqakula said an open ballot will ensure public trust and confidence.

Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma voted for Parliament to adopt the report.

The ANC presidential hopeful bucked the party line and her vote was well received by the opposition benches.

Phala Phala suspect moved to secure facility

Urbanus Shaumbwako, one of the men named in the Phala Phala burglary by former spy boss Arthur Fraser, has appeared again in the Cape Town Regional Court, this time, under heavy police protection.

He has also been moved from Pollsmoor Prison.

In this unrelated case, Shaumbwako is charged with the illegal possession of 12 firearms and reckless driving.

An application for the state to provide Shaumbwako’s lawyers with more information regarding his links to the Phala Phala was denied.

The magistrate said it was not relevant to the case he is charged with before the court.

It’s up to the NEC: Ramaphosa on Phala Phala farm theft

President Cyril Ramaphosa has asked his legal team to review the findings of the Phala Phala report.

Peter Harris of Molebatsi Nupen Harris will file directly at the Constitutional Court.

The report by the panel looking into the 2020 burglary at Ramaphosa’s Limpopo farm concluded that he may have a case to answer.

On Sunday, the President told the media his fate is in the hands of the ANC’s National Executive Committee.

It’s meeting on Monday following Sunday’s National Working Committee meeting.

Cosatu set to discuss Section 89 panel’s report on Phala Phala

Cosatu said that it would be meeting on Monday to discuss the Section 89 independent panel’s report on Phala Phala.

The trade union federation has called on the African National Congress (ANC) to consider the country’s interests when dealing with the report released last week.

The panel has found that President Cyril Ramaphosa may have a case to answer over his failure to report the theft of foreign currency from his Phala Phala farm in 2020.

Cosatu’s, Solly Phetoe, made the call at the 40th anniversary of the National Union of Mineworkers in Polokwane over the weekend.

Speaking to 702’s Africa Melane on Monday morning, Solly Phetoe said that the congress had not finalised its position yet but was meeting on Monday.

“Our position is not yet a final position but said that as we are in the process of looking into the report, I want to confirm that the national office bearers of Cosatu will be meeting today. As we said last time, that we are looking at the report and will issue a formal statement to the public.”

At the same time, Phetoe has refused to be drawn into any debates on the merits of the report.

He has reiterated that the governing party needs to consider the challenges facing the country at the moment.

“The ANC leadership, when they deal with this matter, they must consider the challenges that we are facing in South Africa. You will recall immediately after the report, we have seen that the rand was beginning to depreciate.”

Phala Phala report handed over to Parliament Speaker

The Independent Panel probing the Phala Phala matter has handed over its report to the Speaker of Parliament.

The panel was formed to determine if there is a case for presidential impeachment.

The issue relates to the millions in foreign currency stolen from the President’s farm.