South Africa’s scandal-engulfed President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday easily escaped a vote in parliament on whether to initiate impeachment proceedings that could have forced him out of office.
His ruling African National Congress (ANC) party defeated the motion by 214 votes to 148, with two abstentions through open voting.
Lawgivers during the extraordinary parliamentary session voted after debating the findings of an independent panel which said Ramaphosa may be guilty of serious violations and misconduct over allegations he concealed a huge cash theft at his farm.
The vote prevented an impeachment procedure that was feared could have politically destabilised Africa’s most industrialised country.Ramaphosa — championed as a graft-busting saviour after corruption-stained predecessor Jacob Zuma — survived thanks to the support of a majority of ANC MPs.
The 70-year-old president had last week secured the backing of the ANC, which holds 230 of the National Assembly’s 400 seats, after mounting a legal bid to have the damning report annulled.Some of his party MPs were absent during voting.
Justice Minister Ronald Lamola trashed the report saying “there is not sufficient evidence to impeach the president”.Ramaphosa’s escape comes just days ahead of a crucial ANC meeting to elect the new leadership.Although the ANC’s national executive had vowed last week to shoot down any attempt to force Ramaphosa from office, his continued stay in office remains to be seen after the conference.
His “leadership will be tested again at the party’s national conference”, Aleix Montana, analyst at risk intelligence firm Verisk Maplecroft, said in a note.He will likely be re-elected as leader because “there is no viable alternative candidate in the ANC that can secure the political survival of the party,” said Montana.That will position him for a second term as head of state, if the ANC wins the 2024 national election. AFP
