ANC NEC to decide on fate of members who voted against party line in Phala Phala debate - Lamola

13 Dec 2022

Cabinet minister and ANC National Executive Committee (NEC) member Ronald Lamola has refused to be drawn into the question of what will happen to their members who voted with opposition parties in Parliament on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, Parliament debated the contents of the Section 89 Independent Panel report which found that President Cyril Ramaphosa had a case to answer over the burglary at his Phala Phala farm.

After the debate, members of Parliament voted on whether to accept or reject the report. Cogta Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma was the first ANC member to defy the party’s directive and vote for the report to be accepted.

She was followed by Supra Mahumapelo, Mervyn Dirks and Mosebenzi Zwane. Tandi Mahambehlala initially voted for the adoption of the report, which would have opened the door for the possible impeachment of the President, but backtracked to toe the party line and vote against the adoption of the report.

Lindiwe Sisulu and Dr Zweli Mkhize — both expected to vote with the opposition parties — were absent for the voting period. In the end, 214 MPs voted against the adoption of the report, 148 voted for and two abstained.

“The outcomes represent democracy,” said Justice Minister Ronald Lamola. “There was no basis for us to adopt the report; it clearly does not have sufficient evidence for us to proceed to a Section 89 inquiry.”

Responding to questions about party members who voted for the adoption of the report, Lamola said this was proof that there is democracy in the ANC.

“There were allegations that people received threats, but no one has died. I will leave it to the NEC to decide what happens to those that voted against the party line.”

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The Phala Phala farm burglary has been a thorn in the side of Ramaphosa ever since former spy boss Arthur Fraser opened a case around the President hiding foreign currency in his couch.

On Friday, the ANC will hold its elective national conference where Ramaphosa will be vying for a second term as party president. Former Cabinet minister Mkhize is the frontrunner in challenging Ramaphosa for the ANC’s top job.

The African Transformation Movement (ATM) and the EFF said they would take National Assembly speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula to court for not allowing the vote to be held by a secret ballot. They believe more ANC members would have voted with them but were scared to do so openly.

Last week, at a press briefing, EFF leader Julius Malema said he welcomed the decision to decline the ATM’s request for a secret ballot as it would expose ANC members who truly mean it when they say Ramaphosa must go.

“The decision of the Speaker not to grant a secret ballot was irrational, based on a previous Constitutional Court ruling that actually encouraged the Speaker to take into account the circumstances,” said ATM leader Vuyo Zungula.

“The decision taken by the House not to investigate a President accused of wrongdoing is also an irrational decision because we were not voting to impeach the President today, we were merely voting to establish a committee to investigate the President.”

DA leader John Steenhuisen said it was disappointing that the ANC had abused its majority to shield and protect the President from accountability and transparency.

“There was no reason that report should have not gone forward today; it was no harm to the President and he could have come and made his case before the committee.

“The same old ANC using the same old tricks that they used in protecting [former president Jacob Zuma’s] Nkandla.”

Steenhuisen also announced that the DA would table a request for an ad hoc committee in Parliament which will have the power to subpoena and summon people. DM

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