Rise Mzansi MP Makashule Gana will lead Parliament’s investigation into the Phala Phala matter after winning the race to chair the impeachment committee tasked with reassessing allegations against President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Image: Timothy Bernard/Independent Media
Rise Mzansi MP Makashule Gana has been elected chairperson of Parliament’s Phala Phala Impeachment Committee, securing 19 votes against ATM MP Dr Wonderboy Mahlatsi, who received 12.
The election took place on Monday during the committee’s first meeting, convened to elect its chairperson.
ANC MP Mikateko Mahlaule nominated Gana for the position, while EFF MP Omphile Maotwe nominated Mahlatsi as reported by IOL.
Gana’s nomination was supported by the ANC, DA, Patriotic Alliance (PA) and Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus), while the EFF, MK Party, ActionSA, National Coloured Congress (NCC), Build One South Africa (BOSA), ATM and United Traditional Alliance (UTA) opposed it.
Mahlatsi received backing from the EFF, MK Party, ActionSA, BOSA, ATM and UTA, while the ANC, DA, FF Plus and PA voted against his nomination.
Parliament’s newly established 31-member committee will reassess the Phala Phala report and scrutinise allegations against President Cyril Ramaphosa.
The committee was established following a Constitutional Court judgment directing Parliament to determine whether sufficient grounds exist to recommend Ramaphosa’s removal from office over the theft of more than $580,000 from his Phala Phala game farm in Limpopo in 2020.
The committee comprises members from 16 political parties represented in Parliament.
The ANC has the largest allocation, with nine seats, followed by the DA with five representatives. The MK Party has three members, while the EFF has been allocated two seats.
The remaining parties - the IFP, PA, FF Plus, ActionSA, ACDP, UDM, Rise Mzansi, BOSA, ATM, Al Jama-ah, NCC and UTA - each have one representative on the committee.
*This is a developing story.*
simon.majadibodu@iol.co.za
IOL Politics