Maimane presses Ramaphosa on who pays for dismissals

DA LEADER Mmusi Maimane is demanding that President Cyril Ramaphosa reveal who will bankroll its fight against its legal bid to have Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba and Minister in the Presidency Bathabile Dlamini axed.

On Monday, DA federal chairperson James Selfe filed his founding affidavit asking the North Gauteng High Court to declare Ramaphosa’s failure to axe Dlamini and Gigaba unlawful, inconsistent with the Constitution and invalid.

The DA also wants the failure to take the decision to dismiss Dlamini and Gigaba reviewed and set aside.

Yesterday, Maimane said South Africans deserved to know whether millions of rand of their money would be used by Ramaphosa to defend his appointment of Gigaba and Dlamini to his cabinet in February.

According to Maimane, Ramaphosa must reveal whether he and the two ministers intend to oppose this action, the reasons for filing a notice of intention to oppose, and who will pay for their legal costs.

On Tuesday, the office of the state attorney, representing government departments and functionaries in their official capacity, sent a notice of intention to oppose the matter but it was later withdrawn allegedly due to the notice being filed without instructions.

In his affidavit, Selfe says Ramaphosa’s failure to discharge Dlamini from office is unlawful because she lied to the Constitutional Court.

The matter will be heard in March.