DA considering legal options after Parliament declines request to probe Phala Phala theft
The Democratic Alliance (DA) says it will be “considering its legal options” after Parliament refused to set up a committee into President Cyril Ramaphosa’s $4 million theft saga.
Parliament on Saturday confirmed that National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula decided against establishing an Ad hoc Committee to look into the February 2020 theft at the president’s Phala Phala farm in Limpopo.
DA leader John Steenhuisen requested the establishment of the committee in terms of National Assembly Rule 253(1)(b).
This rule allows for the establishment of such a committee “during the adjournment of the assembly for a period of more than 14 days, by the Speaker after consulting the Chief Whip and the most senior whip of each of the other parties”.
“In her letter, the Speaker declined the request arguing that Rule 253 sets out requirements for the establishment of an Ad hoc Committee, and one of them is the performance of a specific task.
“While the request proposes a committee on Phala Phala, it goes on to list various distinct tasks for investigation. In the nature of the proposed investigation, this is understandable,” parliament spokesperson Moloto Mothapo said in a statement.
“However, some of the tasks proposed are arguably, still within the purview of other entities or institutions, including law enforcement, and may indeed necessitate parliament’s attention in due course.
“At this stage, the various components raised by Mr Steenhuisen for parliamentary intervention are better suited for attention by the existing Parliamentary oversight structures,” Mothapo added.
‘Repurposing Parliament’
Reacting to the news, Steenhuisen criticised Mapisa-Nqakula for her decision, saying the Speaker was shielding “the executive, and the president himself, from the accountability”.
“Once again, parliament is standing by and watching while our head of state is mired in serious allegations of theft, kidnapping, and the abuse of state resources – allegations which taint the office of the Presidency and could render President Ramaphosa wholly unfit to hold public office.
“The ANC is once again repurposing parliament as a rug under which it sweeps scandal and corruption out of sight of the public eye,” the DA leader said in a statement on Saturday.
Steenhuisen further said the opposition party would consider its legal options in challenging the Speaker’s decision.
“Parliament is not an extension of the ANC, and we will make sure our oversight institutions are never again sidelined to allow for cadres to revel in impunity,” he added.
Along with the Public Protector, the DA had already asked the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the United States (US), the South African Revenue Service (Sars) and the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) to also investigate the Phala Phala theft.
The Public Protector’s office is already investigating Ramaphosa after the African Transformational Movement (ATM) filed a similar complaint.
In other news – Photos: Singer Nokwazi gets married to the love of her life in a beautiful wedding
South African House music singer and songwriter Nokwazi Dlamini has married the love of her life. Nokwazi and her long-time partner Bongani Hlatshwayo tied the knot over the weekend.
The 44-year-old singer shared the good news on Instagram on Friday, 8 July. Nokwazi from Pietermaritzburg, KZN, posted beautiful photos of their traditional wedding where they wore traditional attires. Learn More
