Phala Phala Theft: Panel Assessing Cyril Ramaphosa's Motion of No Confidence Will Start Work on Friday

• President Cyril Ramaphosa will soon find out if a motion of no confidence against him can actually proceed
• Speaker Nosisviwe Mapisa-Nqakula recently announced that an independent panel will be looking into the matter from Friday, 30 September
• The motion was proposed by the African Transformation Movement, which believes Ramaphosa's Phala Phala scandal has compromised him

CAPE TOWN - The National Assembly Speaker Nosisviwe Mapisa-Nqakula says the Independent Panel of Experts will start assessing the motion of no confidence proposal against President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday, 30 September.

The African Transformation Movement (ATM) tabled a motion against the president for his alleged unlawful involvement in covering up the theft of US dollars in cash at his Phala Phala farm in Limpopo.

The panel was supposed to start work earlier this week; however, the Democratic Alliance and the Economic Freedom Fighters opposed the appointment of Richard Calland, a Professor of Law at the University of Cape Town. According to SABC News, the opposition parties' disapproval led to the appointment of Senior Counsel Richard Sello, who replaced Calland.

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Mapisa-Nqakula told parliament that the panel would begin work once legal processes have been completed and also believes these processes will be finalised by Friday.

Ramaphosa appeared in Parliament on Thursday, 29 September, to answer questions about the Phala Phala saga. The president denied that money laundering was taking place on his farm and also denied any wrongdoing, according to The Citizen.

Independent panel appointed to determine if President Cyril Ramaphosa can be impeached

Briefly News previously reported that an independent panel of judges has been appointed to determine if there is enough evidence to impeach President Cyril Ramaphosa.National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula announced the three-person panel on Wednesday night, 14 September.

The panel will determine if Ramaphosa has a prima facie case to answer on the Phala Phala scandal. After careful consideration, Mapisa-Nqakula appointed members of the panel who were considered "fit and proper" for the position.

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Former Chief Justice Sandile Ngcobo, former Judge Thokozile Masipa, and University of Cape Town Professor Richard Calland have been appointed to serve on the independent panel, according to SABC News. The speaker consulted with Chief Justice Raymond Zondo to make the appointment of the judges.

Source: Briefly News