Ramaphosa impeachment inquiry far from over as committee presses ahead

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s impeachment process is not over, with the Impeachment Committee set to continue preparatory work despite a court interdict halting public hearings. The parliamentary committee tasked with considering the impeachment process against President Cyril Ramaphosa will continue with preparatory work despite a Western Cape High Court ordertemporarily halting public hearings. The court granted Ramaphosa an interim interdict preventing Parliament from proceeding with oral evidence and public hearings linked to the impeachment inquiry.

Gana said the ruling only affected certain aspects of the committee’s work and did not prevent it from continuing with preparations. Rise Mzansi MP and Impeachment Committee Chairperson Makashule Gana. “I have studied the full judgment of the Western Cape High Court and consulted with the legal team.

The preparatory work of the committee will continue with the meeting on Wednesday, July 29,” he said. The committee still has to appoint an evidence leader and finalise its terms of reference. At a previous meeting, Gana indicated that the committee would seek legal advice on issues including the options available should Ramaphosa choose not to testify during the inquiry.

[paywall]

The High Court judgment was met withdisappointment by opposition parties, who argued that the ruling would delay efforts to hold the president accountable. Build One South Africa also called on Parliament to seek legal advice on whether it should urgently appeal the decision. Legal experts said the committee was bound by the interim order and would have risked being in contempt of court if it proceeded with the suspended hearings. Advocate Paul Hoffman said the committee would have to wait for the outcome of Ramaphosa’s review application, which is scheduled to be heard in September.

[/paywall]