Johannesburg - The African Transformation Movement (ATM) has announced that it will be seeking legal remedies against the Speaker of the National Assembly and the handling of the Section 89 independent panel proceedings in Parliament on Tuesday.
The party said it was dissatisfied with the manner in which National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula handled Tuesday’s Section 89 independent panel debate.
The party initiated the Section 89 proceedings and the call for the impeachment process against President Cyril Ramaphosa following the infamous Phala Phala farm robbery, where millions in American currency was stolen in February 2020.
The party also called the Speaker tone deaf after she refused to grant the proceeding a secret ballot vote and instead chose to use an open roll-call voting system, which resulted in a clear landslide victory for the ANC and Ramaphosa.
Only four ANC MPs voted with the opposition parties, in clear contravention of the ANC party line, to reject the adoption of the Section 89 independent report.
Among those who defied the party line and therefore broke rank with their own party were Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Mervyn Dirks, Mosebenzi Zwane, and Supra Mahumapelo.
In total, 214 MPs voted against the adoption of the report, two abstained, and 148 voted in favour.
ATM spokesperson Zama Ntshona said the party was concerned about the way the proceedings were handled, as it was clear that ANC MPs would not be able to vote with their conscience after the ANC compelled its members to toe the party line and reject the adoption of the report or risk losing their jobs when assuming office.
“The African Transformation Movement is deeply concerned about the lack of impartiality of the Speaker in cases where her party dictates contrary to the oath of office the Speaker signed when assuming office,” Ntshona said.
According to the ATM, some MPs were threatened if they dared to vote against the party line.
“Various threats, including death threats, were levelled against MPs in anticipation of their vote to support the adoption of a report that would give an impeachment inquiry into the conduct of the president, and such threats were brought to the attention of the Speaker, and she chose to blatantly ignore such threats amid calls for a secret ballot.
“It is for this reason that the ATM will be seeking legal remedies to the situation to ensure that the protection of all MPs and the impartiality of the Speaker is prioritised at all times,” the party said.
The Star