The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party has launched a fresh bid to remove President Cyril Ramaphosa from office following the Constitutional Court’s dramatic ruling linked to the Phala Phala scandal.
National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza is now expected to consider the party’s request for a motion of no confidence against the president to be debated in Parliament.
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The request was formally submitted on Saturday, days after the country’s highest court ruled that Parliament acted irrationally when it failed to adopt the Section 89 panel report into the Phala Phala matter.
MK Party Targets Ramaphosa Over Phala Phala Scandal
The Constitutional Court ruling has intensified pressure on Ramaphosa over allegations connected to the theft of foreign currency at his Phala Phala farm in 2020, as well as claims of a cover-up.
The court directed Parliament to establish an impeachment inquiry after the Section 89 panel previously found that the President may have violated his oath of office.
The latest move by the MK Party now places renewed focus on whether lawmakers will support efforts to remove the President from power.
Ramaphosa Could Face Impeachment Inquiry In Parliament
If Parliament proceeds with an impeachment process, Ramaphosa would need to face a vote requiring a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly for him to be removed from office.
However, the MK Party is also pursuing a separate motion of no confidence, which carries a lower threshold.
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Unlike impeachment proceedings, a no-confidence vote only requires support from 50% plus one of Members of Parliament to unseat a sitting president.
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The MK Party is reportedly pushing for the motion to be conducted through a secret ballot should it be approved for debate in Parliament.
Before that can happen, Speaker Didiza must first decide whether the motion will be scheduled and allowed to proceed.
The unfolding political battle is expected to place Parliament under intense scrutiny as pressure mounts around the Phala Phala saga.
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