Mapisa-Nqakula hits back at opposition over Phala Phala panel
National Assembly speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has hit back at opposition parties over their objection to the appointment of UCT law professor Richard Calland to a threemember panel to determine if President Cyril Ramaphosa has a case to answer before parliament on Phala Phala.
Mapisa-Nqakula lashed out at opposition parties yesterday during a meeting of the programming committee after they asked to object to Calland’s appointment.
Calland, with retired high court judge Thokozile Masipa and retired chief justice Sandile Ngcobo as chair, were appointed last week to determine if there was prima facie evidence against Ramaphosa over the Phala Phala saga before parliament decides whether to start impeachment proceedings in terms of Section 89 of the constitution.
The DA and the EFF are opposed to Calland’s appointment, arguing he has shown demonstrable bias in favour of Ramaphosa through his published opinion pieces.
During yesterday’s meeting, Mapisa-Nqakula said questions about Calland’s integrity were ill-informed.
Some parties accused Mapisa-Nqakula’s office of not conducting due diligence on the candidacy of Calland.
She will formally respond to the parties after considering a legal opinion she received this week.
Last week, it emerged that at least eight of the 17 people nominated mainly by opposition parties to serve on the panel, including former chief justice Mogoeng Mogoeng, his former deputy, Dikgang Moseneke, and other top legal minds had declined nomination.
“It was very disappointing to find that a list of 17 people would end up with eight people who are not available to serve on the panel, but despite that I’m confident the three candidates I chose from the list of available nominees is a credible one,” Mapisa-Nqakula said.
“In view of that, I will be making a pronouncement, perhaps even no later than tomorrow [Friday], about what we are going to do.”