NATIONAL NEWS - The ANC national executive committee (NEC) were meeting this morning to discuss the independent panel’s findings against President Cyril Ramaphosa.
The panel – that recently recommended that Ramaphosa has an impeachable case to answer – found that he may have violated the constitution.
The NEC, which has the power to recall Ramaphosa, is expected to receive a report from the ANC’s national working committee (NWC) which discussed the panel’s report during its meeting yesterday.
The NEC meeting takes place amid indications that the majority of party leaders were opposed to the adoption of the panel’s reporters.
Prominent ANC members who have rejected the report as ‘flawed’ include the party’s national chairperson Gwede Mantashe, former national assembly chief whip Mathole Motshekga and former ANC treasurer general Matthews Phosa.
While ANC NEC members opposed to Ramaphosa are likely to call for his removal during the NEC, there were strong indications that the majority of the ANC leadership structure would come to Ramaphosa’s defence.
A source within the ANC NWC told The Witness that the committee rejected the panel’s report.
“There was never any strong resistance at the NWC as it was made clear from the beginning of the meeting that the panel report is flawed.
“As such, the NWC recommended to the NEC that the ANC should reject the report,” the source said.
Parliament which, depending on the number of MPs supporting the report, could resolve that impeachment proceedings against Ramaphosa should go ahead, will debate the report on Tuesday.
Given that the ANC has a majority in Parliament, the report was likely to be rejected if all the ruling party MPs vote against the report at tomorrow’s special sitting.
