ANC closes ranks behind Ramaphosa

The ANC’s national executive committee (NEC) has resolved to close ranks behind President Cyril Ramaphosa after the National Assembly established a parliamentary impeachment committee to investigate the revived Phala Phala scandal. This week, the National Assembly established a 31-member multi-party committee to participate in the impeachment of Ramaphosa following a Constitutional Court ruling that parliament’s 2022 decision to halt impeachment proceedings against him was unconstitutional. ANC insiders told the Mail& Guardian that Ramaphosa’s resignation was not discussed as an option during the meeting, with some NEC members expressing satisfaction with Ramaphosa’s decision to remain in office and challenge the report. “The agreement is clear: we will support the president on this warpath because we believe we have to give him the benefit of the doubt before the committee concludes,” a senior source said. “The president has not been found guilty of any crime. The Ngcobo report said he has a case to answer and we believe he must be given that right that is why we are fully behind him.” However, another source said the party felt aggrieved by his decision to address the nation on Monday before addressing the NEC. “The president strongly armed us there because he should’ve first consulted us but we understand the circumstances. We will question his intentions when the dust settles,” the other source said. A third source said while the party was aware that it would be “hanging itself with the same rope used during former President Jacob Zuma’s tenure,” they were confident the situation would be different. “We are united as a party that the president should be protected because the situation is not the same as that of JZ’s Nkandla saga. This one is about merit; he did not steal money from the state coffers. It’s about whether he evaded tax or money laundering and remember the Reserve Bank cleared him, so the matters are not the same.” “However, the matter does weaken u