Johannesburg
CNN
—
South African President Ramaphosa weathered a move to open impeachment proceedings against him in a vote in parliament on Tuesday.
The move was widely anticipated after the supreme leader who controls the African National Congress (ANC) called on the parliamentary presidium to block the investigation.
After the Speaker of Parliament ruled out a request to keep the votes secret, MPs were asked one by one to clarify their direct votes.
Although there were some “yes” votes from ANC members and some no-shows, their caucuses were largely unanimous. Opposition parties were largely unanimous in calling for an impeachment inquiry. A simple majority was required to vote.
The vote was taken after an independent panel of independent panels found there was initial evidence that he may have violated his oath of office.
The findings relate to an ongoing scandal involving the theft of over $500,000 in cash from his private gaming farm in 2020. A panel investigation found the cash was stuffed inside a leather sofa.
A commission led by the former chief justice of the Supreme Court found that the crime had not been reported to police and that there was a “deliberate decision to keep the investigation secret.”
After initial speculation that he would resign, Ramaphosa’s attorneys tried to challenge the panel’s findings in court. has repeatedly denied the allegations.
Later this week, the president will take part in the ANC election conference and is widely expected to win there.
A lively debate preceded the vote, with opposition leaders lashing out at both the president and the ANC caucuses that supported him for failing to provide an adequate explanation for the cash.
“You are desperate to avoid any kind of investigation into the crimes that occurred on and in connection with the Falafalla Farms, and you are confronted with the freedoms and institutions that so many have fought and lost their lives for. and decided to spit,” said Julius Malema, leader of the Financial Freedom Fighters.
“As long as there are numbers in Congress, we can eliminate scandal. Official opposition Democratic League leader John Steenheisen, referring to Ramaphosa’s predecessor Jacob Zuma, was not condemned by parliament but eventually resigned after a corruption scandal. He said he was forced to
ANC members said the report did not provide enough evidence to proceed with impeachment proceedings. The president could face multiple investigations outside Congress.
