South Africa’s opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) party plans to introduce a motion in parliament calling for an early election as President Cyril Ramaphosa deals with a controversy that could cost him his job.
The president is accused of kidnapping the thieves and paying them to keep quiet in order to cover up a $4 million robbery on his property in 2020. He maintains that he did nothing wrong.
The nation’s parliament will review a report on the scandal and decide whether or not to initiate the impeachment process next week.
DA leader John Steenhuisen said the country cannot leave it up to the ruling party to “choose the future of our country” – referring to the upcoming ANC conference where Ramaphosa will seek a second term as the leader of the ruling party.
“The party of Nelson Mandela has become a cess pit of corruption, greed and dishonesty from top to bottom,” said Steenhuisen.
He noted that in order to call for an early election, the resolution for dissolution of the government would require a simple majority of 50% plus one in the national assembly.
Coming two weeks before the ANC holds its crucial conference, where it is due to elect new leadership. The president has also cancelled a scheduled question-and-answer session in parliament Thursday afternoon, his office said.
The president’s written request to cancel said that “implications for the stability of the country required that the President take the time to carefully consider the contents of the report and the next course of action to be taken”, parliamentary authorities said.
The three-person panel set up in September to probe the alleged cover-up of a theft at Ramaphosa’s farmhouse said that the information it gathered shows that Ramaphosa possibly committed serious violations and misconduct.
These include not reporting the theft directly to the police, acting in a way inconsistent with holding office and exposing himself to a clash between his official responsibilities and his private business.