South Africa Appoints Ramaphosa Critic to Lead Impeachment Inquiry
South African lawmakers selected Makashule Gana, a critic of President Cyril Ramaphosa, to chair an inquiry into whether the president should face impeachment over his handling of a 2020 currency theft at his game farm. The appointment is intended to preserve the inquiry's independence and counter concerns that the ruling ANC party would install a loyalist to oversee the process. The move is significant as Ramaphosa has tied his political survival to the credibility of major institutions, all of which have previously cleared him of wrongdoing.
South African lawmakers have chosen Makashule Gana, an MP from the smaller RISE Mzansi party and documented critic of President Cyril Ramaphosa, to head a parliamentary inquiry into whether Ramaphosa should face impeachment. The inquiry concerns the president's handling of a 2020 theft of foreign currency from his game farm, which was revived by Constitutional Court order after Ramaphosa launched a lawsuit challenging the decision. Gana holds significant procedural power, including a casting vote in deadlocks and authority to summon individuals and demand documents. The selection is seen as a move to preserve the probe's independence and quiet fears that the ruling African National Congress party would install a loyalist to oversee a whitewash. However, the process faces immediate legal challenges, as Ramaphosa has launched a bid to overturn the underlying report, arguing it relied on hearsay and misapplied legal thresholds for misconduct.
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- SemaforCenter
South Africa picks Ramaphosa critic for inquiry chair
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