A few short years ago, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s foreign currency scandal might have seen him face a vote of no confidence in the National Assembly and the ANC majority to heed a three-line whip to ensure his survival.
Jacob Zuma repeatedly faced such situations plus, in 2016, a motion for his removal in terms of section 89 of the Constitution. He remained in power, though, until he lost control of the ANC and was recalled by the party to make way for Ramaphosa.
But between Nkandla and Phala Phala, a constitutional court ruling — Economic Freedom Fighters and Others vs Speaker of the National Assembly and Another — compelled the legislature to establish rules for an impeachment inquiry where on Wednesday the president ran into serious trouble at the first stage of the process. Here, a panel chaired by retired chief justice Sandile Ngcobo found prima facie evidence in information the African Transformation Movement tabled in support of its impeachment motion that he broke the law.
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