FF Plus nominates Curlewis for panel that must assess Ramaphosa’s possible impeachment

10 August 2022

The FF Plus will recommend that the criminal justice expert Dr Llewellyn Curlewis must serve on the independent panel tasked with deciding whether there is sufficient evidence for the impeachment of President Cyril Ramaphosa.

If sufficient evidence is found, the National Assembly could institute a process in terms of Section 89 of the Constitution to remove the President from office.

The FF Plus's decision to nominate Dr Curlewis is motivated by his proven experience and expertise relating to South African criminal law.

He is known to be an objective individual without political ties whose decision on the matter will be guided solely by merit and criminal law principles.

This links with the notion of the FF Plus, which is part of a forum of political opposition leaders who concur that committees must be established in Parliament to hold the ANC government accountable.

In my speech on the Phala Phala matter in Parliament, I told President Ramaphosa to play open cards with the people of South Africa.

But the President chose not to do so. And as a result, a process may be instituted to compel him to do it.

President Ramaphosa, who would have preferred to appear before the ANC's internal Integrity Committee, should have foreseen such a process.

It is lamentable that he was willing to take the chance of going through the process rather than to take the public into his confidence.

The FF Plus fully concurs with other opposition leaders that the executive authority and the President are accountable to Parliament, and therefore, supports the process that will call him to account for the Phala Phala millions.

Issued by Pieter Groenewald, FF Plus leader, 10 August 2022