The National Executive Committee of the African National Congress announced Monday that it will ultimately vote against the Section 89 report, an independent commission that found South African President Cyril Ramaphosa responsible for the cover-up of a dollar cash theft at a cattle farm he owned in 2020.
The decision by Ramaphosa’s party leadership should ensure his continuity ahead of a vote scheduled for Tuesday in the South African Parliament in which the opposition was seeking to force the president’s resignation, reports South African television News24.
«It means that the president will remain president,» explained ANC treasurer general Paul Mashatile, who explained that they will vote against because Ramaphosa has announced a review of the report.
«We are not going to support a process that would lead to the removal of the president,» stressed Mashatile, who stressed that it will be up to Parliament itself to decide whether the report is finally voted on.
Asked what will happen if ANC MPs vote in favor of the report, Mashatile said that «we will cross that bridge when we get to that river».
Earlier on Monday, it emerged that Ramaphosa has lodged an appeal with the Constitutional Court against the Section 89 report, which was filed last Wednesday.