ANC Opposes Griffiths Madonsela as Evidence Leader in Phala Phala Impeachment Inquiry
- The ANC raised conflict of interest concerns over Advocate Griffiths Madonsela's recommended appointment as evidence leader in the Phala Phala inquiry
- ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula said Madonsela previously gave the party legal advice on the Section 89 committee matter
- Mbalula called on Madonsela to decline the role and confirmed the ANC abstained during the selection process once his name emerged
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Source: Twitter
SOUTH AFRICA — The African National Congress has moved to formally block the appointment of Advocate Griffiths Madonsela as evidence leader in Parliament's Section 89 Impeachment Inquiry into President Cyril Ramaphosa's conduct linked to the 2020 Phala Phala foreign currency theft.
According to Eyewitness News, the party intends to write to National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza to register its objection to Madonsela, who has been recommended for the role in the parliamentary inquiry.
ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula confirmed that Madonsela previously provided legal advice to the ANC specifically on the Section 89 committee matter. Mbalula described it as unethical for Madonsela to now lead the very process on which he had previously advised the governing party, saying there was no way the ANC could agree to his appointment.
Mbalula cites prior legal relationship With Madonsela
Mbalula went further, warning that accepting the position would signal that the ANC is undermining the law and has no respect for the Section 89 process. He stated plainly that the ethical course of action is for Madonsela not to make himself available to the committee.
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ANC abstained during selection process
The Secretary General revealed that once the ANC became aware Madonsela had been put forward as a candidate, the party withheld its support during the selection process rather than formally opposing him at that stage. The ANC now maintains that his prior advisory work for the party on the Phala Phala matter creates a serious ethical conflict that cannot be overlooked as Parliament presses ahead with the inquiry.
The Section 89 Impeachment Inquiry is expected to examine Ramaphosa's conduct following revelations that a significant sum of foreign currency was stolen from his Phala Phala game farm in Limpopo in 2020. The matter was not reported to the police at the time, raising questions about whether the president violated his constitutional obligations. Speaker Didiza previously announced the Members of Parliament appointed to serve on the Section 89 Impeachment Committee, setting the formal structure for the inquiry now at the centre of the ANC's objection.
View Mbalula's recent tweet on the NEC on X:
Fikile Mbalula denies NDZ allegations
In a related article, Briefly News reported on the recent allegations made by Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma regarding Mbalula, who has denied claims of vote-buying at the party's national conference in 2022. As reactions to Mbalula’s statement emerge, the public's divided opinions signal ongoing tension within the ANC and a critical examination of leadership integrity.
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Source: Briefly News
