Stop it, Mr President, says EFF, ATM

Ramaphosa’s court bid to halt impeachment process faces opposition

- MAYIBONGWE MAQHINA

THE EFF and ATM moved swiftly yesterday to signal their opposition to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s urgent application to halt Parliament's impeachment inquiry pending the outcome of a separate court challenge.

Ramaphosa filed papers in the Western Cape High Court on Friday seeking an interim interdict to prevent National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza and Impeachment Committee chairperson Makashule Gana from proceeding with the inquiry until his review application against the Independent Panel report has been decided.

He said his attorney wrote to Didiza and Gana requesting the stay of the commencement of the proceedings until the review application has been determined.

However, Didiza told him the parliamentary committees determine their own working arrangements and agenda, and the State Attorney acting for Gana advised that his request was not acceded to as the committee was continuing with preparations for the inquiry.

Ramaphosa said he was left with no option but to institute the urgent application.

“This is because there is a possibility, and in fact a likelihood, that the Impeachment Committee will begin the impeachment hearings before the court has made a decision on the review application,” he said.

The president added that if the impeachment process was allowed to proceed on the basis of the Independent Panel report, which he is challenging its validity, he would suffer irreparable harm and prejudice.

“I submit that, absent the interim interdictory relief, there is a high risk and in fact an inevitability of irreparable harm.