ANC Chief Whip Mdumiseni Ntuli says the caucus rejects calls for Speaker Thoko Didiza to recuse herself from the Section 89 impeachment process, amid opposition concerns over impartiality in Parliament.
Image: Henk Kruger / Independent Media
ANC Chief Whip Mdumiseni Ntuli says the caucus rejects calls for National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza to recuse herself from impeachment-related proceedings.
This comes after opposition parties backed calls for Didiza to recuse herself from all matters relating to the Impeachment Committee on the Section 89 enquiry.
Ntuli was briefing the media on Wednesday on several issues, including the recently established Section 89 Committee, when he responded to what he described as “strange calls” for the Speaker to step aside.
“We have noted strange calls for the Speaker of the National Assembly, Cde Thoko Didiza, to recuse herself from the proceedings relating to the work of the Impeachment Committee,” Ntuli said.
He said allegations had been made suggesting that Didiza would not be able to guide the impeachment process impartially because of her political affiliation with the African National Congress.
“Gratuitous allegation has been made that the Speaker lacks the capacity to impartially guide the work of the Impeachment Committee merely because she is a member and leader of the African National Congress,” he said.
Ntuli dismissed the claims, saying Didiza’s long-standing political and governance experience demonstrated her ability to act fairly and within the rules of Parliament.
“Comrade Thoko Didiza is a longstanding member and leader of the African National Congress who has demonstrated leadership acumen in dealing with governance matters over the years,” he said.
He added that there was no justification for questioning her ability to oversee the impeachment process.
“There is absolutely no basis whatsoever to suggest that she will compromise the work of the impeachment committee and the ANC Caucus categorically reject the call for the Speaker to recuse herself,” Ntuli said.
Opposition parties have backed calls for Didiza to step aside from matters linked to the Section 89 impeachment inquiry, raising concerns about impartiality in the process.
On Monday, ATM leader Vuyo Zungula said several opposition parties met ahead of the committee’s first sitting to discuss procedural concerns.
He said the parties, including the DA, EFF, MK Party, ActionSA, UDM, ACDP, FF Plus, Rise Mzansi, BOSA, and the United Africans Transformation (UAT), raised concerns over oversight matters, including the appointment of evidence leaders and the committee’s terms of reference.
Zungula said there was agreement among opposition parties that the committee should not be chaired by an ANC-aligned figure, arguing that the governing party had already “taken a posture” in relation to President Cyril Ramaphosa.
He added that parties agreed the impeachment process should continue unless halted by a court interdict or set aside by the Constitutional Court.
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