Status: 13.12.2022 7:26 p.m
South Africa’s president faces serious corruption allegations. An impeachment procedure called for by the opposition has now been rejected – by parliament, in which Ramaphosa’s party has an absolute majority.
A majority in South Africa’s parliament has voted against impeachment of President Cyril Ramaphosa, which the opposition is calling for. A total of 214 MPs voted no, 148 in favor and two abstained. After lengthy debates, the governing party, the African National Congress (ANC), which has an absolute majority in parliament, backed Ramaphosa. He is accused of corruption.
“Ramaphosa must fall” reads a sign posted by a protester in Cape Town on December 13, 2022.
Image: REUTERS
A week earlier, the 70-year-old had submitted an application to the country’s constitutional court to have the serious allegations against him reviewed. He is heavily incriminated by the report of a parliamentary commission of inquiry. Accordingly, the head of state, who has been in office since 2018, is said to have violated both an anti-corruption law and the constitution.
Ramaphosa’s spokesman Vincent Magwenya called the report “clearly flawed”. Independent legal experts also criticized that the report was largely based on unverified information and hearsay.
Alleged robbery – and concealed money
A robbery allegedly stole $4 million from the president’s private farm in 2020 – well over the half million Ramaphosa admitted to the investigative committee. The money is said to have been hidden under sofa cushions.
In addition, Ramaphosa had originally only reported the robbery, but not the disappearance of the money. Ramaphosa later tried to explain the origin of the half million dollars by selling cattle.
Ramaphosa dismissed the allegations of his own misconduct in the parliamentary inquiry committee as “completely unfounded”.
Voting on staying at party leadership
Ramaphosa’s predecessor, Jacob Zuma, who ruled from 2009 to 2018, was forced to resign over a corruption scandal. He also belongs to the ANC – the party that emerged from the freedom movement and has governed South Africa since the end of the racist apartheid regime in 1994.
Starting Friday, the ANC will meet for the five-year party conference, at which a vote will also be taken on whether Ramaphosa will remain at the top of the party. Re-election as party leader would also pave the way for a second term as president.