ATM notes that the panel to assess the impeachment case against Ramaphosa has been appointed

15 September 2022

The ATM commends the Speaker for taking only two weeks to apply her mind and balance many variables with the result that the Independent Panel has now been announced. The ATM is alive to some of the complimentary public comments by Professor Richard Calland towards Mr Ramaphosa. However, in good faith we will not delay the process challenging his appointment.

The view we take as the ATM is that all the panelists will conduct themselves in an objective manner and ensure that the objects of the Constitution are upheld, defended and respected.

The ATM is furthermore convinced that the work of the panel should be very easy because the standard against which they will be evaluating submitted evidence is cast in stone, and also that the evidence submitted is not only uncontested but incontestable.

The ATM feels very strongly that the fact that the Speaker who is also supported by a competent legal team agreed to move this Impeachment Inquiry to the next stage meaning the evidence submitted is compelling and ticks all the boxes.

There is just no way the panel can ignore the fact that even as we speak there is no case opened for the criminality that took place in Phalaphala farm despite Mr Ramaphosa being in the know.

It will be impossible for the panel to look past the fact that Ramaphosa is on record instructing his head of security to investigate the burglary in his private farm and thus violating the Constitution because that unlawful instruction put him at a risk of a conflict between his official duty versus his private interests.

The two concrete examples above are enough to kick start the actual Impeachment process. The fact that various investigating agencies have been dragging their feet and giving Mr Ramaphosa all manner of extensions shouldn't really matter because one violation is one violation too much.

The ATM trust that the panel will apply the law without fear or favour in ensuring that no one is above the law. Public confidence in the justice system will be boosted if the panel is seen to have conducted this assessment with a view to affirm the directives of the Constitution.

Issued by Sibusiso Mncwabe, National Spokesperson, ATM, 15 September 2022