South African Parliament Postpones Schedule Related to President Ramaphosa's Impeachment

Vote on Impeachment Procedure Postponed... Decision Made in In-Person Meeting, Not Online
Party Leader to Be Selected at 16th National Convention... Ramaphosa Expected to Win Re-Election

South African President Ramaphosa
[Photo by AP News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Junran] The South African Parliament has reportedly postponed the vote on initiating impeachment proceedings against President Cyril Ramaphosa to the 13th. It was determined that decisions on significant matters cannot be made online or through similar means.

According to local media and foreign news on the 6th (local time), the South African Parliament delayed the discussion and vote on President Ramaphosa's impeachment, which was scheduled for that day.

The Parliament was set to discuss whether to adopt a parliamentary panel report regarding the possibility that President Ramaphosa committed serious legal violations during the concealment of a large amount of foreign currency stolen from his private farm in 2020.

However, an opinion was raised that major votes cannot be conducted in a 'hybrid' format such as online. Accordingly, Parliament Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula explained that lawmakers will gather in person in the legislative capital, Cape Town, to hold discussions.

President Ramaphosa claimed innocence the day before and filed a constitutional complaint requesting the invalidation of the report due to legal defects. Nevertheless, Parliament decided to proceed with the discussions regardless. It is known that one of the three parliamentary panel members who drafted the report is a former Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court.

The African National Congress (ANC), the highest decision-making body, after repeated debates, decided to oppose the impeachment of President Ramaphosa. Therefore, it is uncertain whether the impeachment vote procedure will actually proceed. The ANC holds more than half of the total seats. A majority vote is required to initiate impeachment proceedings. Jackie Silliers, a political scientist at the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), predicted to Reuters that "President Ramaphosa will survive."

President Ramaphosa is scheduled to deliver a keynote speech at the World Science Forum in Cape Town on the day of the parliamentary vote next week. This will be his first official public appearance since the report was released on the 30th of last month. The ANC National Conference will be held on the 16th, where the party leader will be elected. President Ramaphosa, who currently holds the party leadership, is expected to be re-elected.

It is reported that President Ramaphosa concealed the theft of millions of dollars in foreign currency hidden at his private farm in June. Arthur Fraser, former head of the intelligence agency who exposed the issue, claimed that the foreign currency in question was the president's 'black money,' and that the presidential security team secretly arrested the culprit but tried to hide the theft through bribery. There is also an issue that keeping such a large amount privately without reporting it violates the Foreign Exchange Control Act under domestic law.

President Ramaphosa denies any illegality, claiming that the stolen amount was about $500,000 (approximately 660 million KRW), the proceeds from selling buffaloes on the farm.