I serve at the behest of the ANC, Ramaphosa says
President unfazed by possible impeachment process as he patches a pothole in Delmas
● President Cyril Ramaphosa said yesterday that he was unfazed by the process undertaken by parliament that could lead to his impeachment.
Ramaphosa told reporters on the sidelines of the ANC’s “Letsema” campaign that he served at the behest of the ANC and was “not indispensable”.
The president came under fire from the opposition this week after he refused to answer questions related to the burglary at his game farm. Former spy boss Arthur Fraser opened a case, accusing Ramaphosa of, among other things, trying to cover up the crime.
African Transformation Movement leader Vuyo Zungula submitted a motion to National Assembly speaker Nosiviwe MapisaNqakula requesting the house to initiate an inquiry into Ramaphosa’s removal from office as provided for by section 89 of the constitution. A panel is yet to be appointed.
Ramaphosa said yesterday he was not having sleepless nights over the process.
“That is the process that must go on. It’ sa process that was sparked off by allegations that must be investigated. Parliament has decided that it will set up a panel and that panel must be allowed to do its work. As it does its work, I have vowed to co-operate fully with the processes that are unfolding and all that must be concluded.”
The new rules that give effect to the section 89 removal of the president were adopted in November 2018 after the Constitutional Court ruled in 2017 that the National Assembly must put in place procedures to give effect to that section of the constitution.
Ramaphosa told reporters yesterday he would co-operate fully with the processes.
“In the end it’s the ANC that is the governing party. I’m just a mere individual who is deployed there. The ANC is the one that leads government in the country. I’m not indispensable. The ANC is what really matters,” he said.
On Tuesday he repeatedly told the National Assembly that he was ready to answer all questions and give an explanation to parliament, but that he had been advised against doing so.
On Thursday, Mapisa-Nqakula said Ramaphosa would be invited back to parliament to answer questions.
Ramaphosa was part of the ANC’s Letsema campaign yesterday in Delmas, Mpumalanga, where he received a warm welcome.
As his motorcade drove around, residents waved and shouted.
Hundreds of excited residents gathered next to the shopping centre in Botleng extension 3, where Ramaphosa started the campaign with a street cleanup.
The president, flanked by Mpumalanga premier Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane, human settlements minister Mmamoloko Kubayi and ANC provincial chair Mandla Ndlovu, picked up litter, mostly empty beer bottles.
A group of unemployed metro police graduates staged a silent protest, asking Ramaphosa to help them get work in their local municipality.
Victoria Nkambane told the Sunday Times that they had their hopes pinned on Ramaphosa. “He’s the president and can make sure that the municipality sticks to the promise it made to us,” she said.
Nkambane said they had been sent for training by the municipality and had been told they would be employed after their training.
Ramaphosa had a brief session where he listened to complaints from residents. Most of them spoke about unemployment, corruption in the municipality and lack of basic services such as water.
Johanna Zulu, 70, had hoped Ramaphosa’s visit would be more personal. “I had planned to tell the president about the corruption in our municipality. I expected him to make more time to interact with the elderly because we don’t have means to reach him like the young people who can e-mail the president or send things to him on social media.”
Ramaphosa then went to extension 7 in Botleng, where he helped to patch a pothole.
He also attended a closed meeting with some party members at the offices of Victor Khanye local municipality. Others in attendance included members of the Mpumalanga ANC provincial executive committee and transport minister Fikile Mbalula.
Ramaphosa came under fire this week after he refused to answer questions about the Phala Phala theft