S. African party opposes impeachment

JOHANNESBURG — South Africa’s ruling African National Congress party says it will vote against any attempts to impeach President Cyril Ramaphosa in Parliament today.

Ramaphosa had taken legal action on Monday to challenge the parliamentary report that suggested he may have broken anti-corruption laws by having a large sum of money at his Phala Phala farm and not reporting its theft. The report recommended that Ramaphosa be impeached.

The report was drafted by an independent panel appointed to probe allegations leveled by the country’s former intelligence head, Arthur Fraser, that Ramaphosa tried to cover up the theft of an estimated $4 million from his Phala Phala ranch.

Fraser accused Ramaphosa of money laundering and violating the country’s tax and foreign exchange control laws.

Briefing the media Monday following a meeting of the National Executive Committee that discussed Ramaphosa’s situation, the ANC said it would not support the report which calls for impeachment proceedings.

“We will vote against it because, as you are aware, that report will set other processes in motion, like impeachment, and we are not supporting the process that will lead to the impeachment of the president,” said ANC treasurer-general Paul Mashatile.

In papers filed with the Constitutional Court, Ramaphosa has asked the court to set aside the report, saying “the panel and its conclusions are seriously flawed, thus making the recommendations irrational.”

In court papers, Ramaphosa said “the panel misconceived its mandate, misjudged the information placed before it and misinterpreted the four charges advanced against me.”

Ramaphosa is facing calls from his detractors within the party and from opposition parties to step down as a result of the report.

(AP/Jerome Delay) South African President Cyril Ramaphosa leaves an African National Congress (ANC) national executive committee meeting Monday in Johannesburg, South Africa.