Parliament says the National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula will appoint an independent panel of experts in consultation with political parties to determine any prima-facie evidence against President Cyril Ramaphosa.
This as Mapisa-Nqakula is considering the second motion of the African Transformation Movement Leader Vuyo Zungula for the removal of Ramaphosa after declining the first one in June.
Zungula invoked Section 89 of the Constitution and the National Assembly Rules which deals with the removal of a President from Office.
Parliament says the panel will be required to make a recommendation to the Speaker within 30 days if there is sufficient evidence of constitutional violations by the President.
Parliament says the panel referral does not constitute a parliamentary impeachment process, but an assessment of the supplied evidence by legal and constitutional experts to determine if it is adequate to allow a further process in terms of the motion.
“The rules states that the panel must consist of three fit and proper, competent, experienced and respected South African citizens, which may include a judge, and who collectively possess the necessary legal and other competencies and experience to perform the preliminary assessment of the motion. If a judge is to be appointed, the Speaker must do so in consultation with the Chief Justice. In this regard, the Speaker will today request all political parties represented in the National Assembly to nominate, on or before Wednesday 1 September 2022, at 4 o’clock, candidates to serve on the panel. Each nomination must be in writing and must include the full names of the nominees and a motivation focusing particularly on the requirements of the applicable with the rules,” says Parliament’s Spokesperson Moloto Mothapo.
In March, the National Assembly debated a motion of no confidence against President Ramaphosa:
