Paul Mashatile Defends President Ramaphosa’s Move to Challenge Phala Phala Report, SA Not Surprised
- Paul Mashatile has weighed in on President Cyril Ramaphosa's decision to challenge the Phala Phala report
- The country's Deputy President insisted that all politicians, including the president and deputy, abided by the law
- South Africans took to social media to weigh in on Mashatile's comments, with many not surprised by his statement
PAY ATTENTION: You can now search for all your favourite news and topics on Briefly News.
Source: Getty Images
Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.
WESTERN CAPE – Paul Mashatile has insisted that President Cyril Ramaphosa would not avoid his accountability to Parliament, while also coming to the defence of the country’s leader.
The Deputy President made the statement while answering questions in the National Assembly on Thursday. 21 May 2025. Mashatile insisted that all Members of Parliament, including the president, abide by the law.
His comments come as Ramaphosa indicated that he would take the independent report into the Phala Phala saga on review. The Section 89 Independent Panel report found prima facie evidence that President Ramaphosa may have violated his oath of office by covering up the theft of foreign currency at his farm in 2010.
PAY ATTENTION: stay informed and follow us on Google News!
The National Assembly, through a majority vote, rejected the report, but the Constitutional Court has since found that this decision was unlawful and unconstitutional.
Mashatile defends Ramaphosa’s decision to challenge the report
Speaking about the president’s decision, which he announced during an address to the nation, Mashatile insisted that the president pledged to abide by the processes, even after the ConCourt’s ruling paved the way for impeachment proceedings to take place.
The Deputy President noted that Ramaphosa has been abiding by the processes since Parliament first considered the Phala Phala matter in 2022.
"His first response was, 'Yes, let’s allow Parliament to deal with these issues. I will abide by the processes that Parliament is going to undertake. What else do we want?'" Mashatile noted.
Source: Getty Images
Mashatile insists that no one is above the law
The Deputy President also insisted that no one was above the law, as he touched on issues of Parliamentarians failing to declare gifts. He accepted that he was guilty of this, having not declared a diamond gifted to his wife from Louis Liebenberg.
Mashatile did say that the president should be commended for taking action against African National Congress member Sisisi Tolashe, who didn’t declare a gift of vehicles from China to the ANC Women’s League. The vehicles were found to be registered in her children’s names.
"Nobody is above the law. Not the president, not the deputy president, not ministers, not members of Parliament, all of us, abide by the law," Mashatile insisted.
Other stories about the ConCourt ruling
Briefly News has covered several articles about the aftermath of the ruling, as several politicians weighed in on the judgment.
- Julius Malema welcomed the ConCourt’s ruling and suggested that Ramaphosa resign before he was impeached.
- Mahlengi Bhengu said that the African National Congress was committed to the rule of law following the ruling.
- The Democratic Alliance said that the president must be held accountable after the ConCourt’s decision.
- Gayton McKenzie insisted that the Patriotic Alliance would not vote to impeach President Ramaphosa.
- Herman Mashaba called the Phala Phala saga a serious embarrassment to the nation.
South Africans weigh in on Mashatile’s comments
Social media users were not surprised by Mashatile’s comments, with many saying that it was natural that he would defend the president.
Gerald du Toit said:
“This is a case of the blind leading the blind.”
Tambaoga Mwanangu added:
“Same birds. They flock together.”
Mike Meyer agreed:
“In the same criminal gang.”
Americo Pinheiro asked:
“Why are more ANC members, including this one, not in jail then?”
Rae Got stated:
“They have teamed up against South Africans. They are protecting criminal elements, illegal foreigners, destructive policies, high unemployment, and high crime rates.”
Bradley Walker claimed:
“It’s one big stupid boys club.”
ANC backs Cyril Ramaphosa over Phala Phala decision
In another article, the ANC's National Executive Committee (NEC) met to discuss the Constitutional Court's recent ruling on Phala Phala.
Briefly News reported that President Cyril Ramaphosa was not present at the meeting, as he was the subject of the discussions that were taking place.
South Africans took to social media to share mixed reactions to the NEC's resolution that the party stood behind the president's decision.
PAY ATTENTION: Follow Briefly News on Twitter and never miss the hottest topics! Find us at @brieflyza!
Source: Briefly News
