Three members appointed to form independent panel

Three members to form part of the independent panel which will assess the fate of President Cyril Ramaphosa has been named.

WHO ARE THE THREE MEMBERS APPOINTED

Former Chief Justice Sandile Ngcobo, former Judge Thokozile Masipa, and UCT’s Prof Richard Calland have been appointed to serve on the independent panel to assess whether sufficient evidence exists to impeach Ramaphosa.

National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa Nqakula appointed the trio to look into evidence linking President Ramaphosa to the Phala Phala farm scandal.

INDEPENDENT PANEL MEMBER FAMOUS

Out of the three members, many can recall Judge Masipa who presided over the televised trial of Oscar Pistorius, the paraplegic athlete who was found guilty of the murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in 2013.

According to the SABC, the panel which will be chaired by Justice Ngcobo will determine whether there is prima facie evidence that the President violated any of the grounds in Section 89 of the Constitution.

This follows a draft motion tabled in the National Assembly by the ATM leader Vuyolwethu Zungula.

ALSO READ: WATCH: MPs outraged by Ramaphosa’s silence over Phala Phala

PARLIAMENT RESPONDS TO THE APPOINTMENT

“After careful consideration of names at her disposal, assessment of their credentials against the provisions of the rules, as well as a need to secure a gender and demographic balance, and having established their availability to serve on the panel, the Speaker has appointed three fit and proper persons to discharge their assigned responsibilities.”

Moloto Mothapo, spokesperson for Parliament

ALSO READ: Parliament CLEARS Kodwa of alleged Phala Phala cover-up

On June 1, 2022, Arthur Fraser, the former head of the South African State Security Agency, the country’s spy agency, filed a criminal complaint against President Cyril Ramaphosa accusing him of kidnapping, bribery, money laundering, and ‘concealing a crime’ in relation to the alleged theft of $4m from his Phala Phala farm.

In his response, Ramaphosa said he stands ready to take the nation into his confidence and that he would do so through the due legal and Parliamentary processes.

ALSO READ: Did Cyril dodge Phala Phala questions? See his full response here

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