Phala Phala: DA, EFF, and Other Opposition Parties Celebrate Section 89 Panel’s Report: “Feels Like 1994”

• President Cyril Ramaphosa jumped to the top of the trending list when the Section 89 panel's Phala Phala report was released on Wednesday, 30 November
• The panel found that Ramaphosa may have committed a serious violation of the constitution and the Prevention and Combatting of Corruption Activities Act
• Opposition parties were quick to react to the findings and call for President Cyril Ramaphosa to step aside

CAPE TOWN - Social media has been abuzz with South Africans from all sectors of society reacting to the Section 89 panel's Phala Phala reports. The nation's political parties and their leaders are no exception.

Economic Freedom Fighter's deputy leader Floyd Shivambu shared a tweet celebrating the report's findings. Shibambu claimed that a criminal president would not lead the nation and that "freedom" from the "white minority rule" would come at last.

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Phala: National Council of Provinces cancels Q&A with Ramaphosa as president focuses on panel report

According to TimesLIVE, the Section 89 panel, which former chief justice Sandile Nqcobo chaired, found that in line with the evidence it received, President Ramaphosa may have violated several laws. These include a serious violation of :

• sections 96(2)(a) of the constitution
• section 34(1) of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act
• Section 96(2)(b) of the constitution by acting in a way that is inconsistent with his office and exposing himself to a conflict between his official responsibilities and his private business.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) lauded the findings in the reports as a defining moment in South Africa's democracy and insisted that African National Congress (ANC) MPs should think beyond party interests when voting on impeaching the president.

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Phala Phala report: EFF calls out law enforcement agencies for not acting against President Cyril Ramaphosa

The leader of the United Democratic Movement, Bantu Holomisa, also added his two cents claiming that President Ramaphosa should pack his bags and vacate the presidential office. Holomisa also added that law enforcement agencies should follow the report's recommendations.

ActionSA added its voice to the sea of reactions, calling for the president to hand in his resignation, adding that the ruling party is a criminal syndicate and ActionSA's position that Ramaphosa's involvement in the Phala Phala theft was criminal.

South Africans weigh in on the opposition party's call for Ramaphosa to resign

South Africans are torn. While others have called for Ramaphosa's removal, others claim the president isn't going anywhere.

Below are some reactions:

@kokimatlala asked:

"The only problem is who will run the country until the next election."

@USayISay3 added:

"If Ramaphosa goes, the DA will face the real redress of Africa, and that's not what they'd wish for. Real gangs are waiting."

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Phala Phala report: ANC NEC calls a special meeting to discuss damning findings against Ramaphosa

@AMurovhi claimed:

"If the president resigns, how will this benefit the UDM? You should spend more of your energy on growing your little political party."

@faizal_abooZA suggested:

"Leave Cyril on this one for the betterment of SA at this moment. Be serious with yourselves."

@HlopheCebo asked:

"What does "May have mean" in terms of the law."

@Strauzz commented:

“May have” further investigation should be done, and I can bet you my last cent the will fight until the end."

Phala Phala: What Ramaphosa told section 89 panel about theft of foreign currency from sale of several buffalo

In a related story, Briefly News reported that President Cyril Ramaphosa unravelled his version of the controversial Phala Phala burglary to the section 89 panel of legal experts. The president insisted that he did nothing wrong.

The president told the panel how R9.9 million (in today's exchange rate) ended up in the sofa cushions of a spare bedroom at his Phala Phala game farm residence after a Sudanese businessman bought several buffalo in December 2019.

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S.African panel files report into Ramaphosa's cover-up scandal

As Ramaposa tells the story, the Phala Phala game farm houses several cattle and game, including Ankole cattle, are also bred and kept on the farm.

Source: Briefly News