PHALA PHALA SAGA: Impeachment committee agrees that Ramaphosa should testify

Daily MaverickIndependentCenter21 hr. ago

The South African Parliament's impeachment committee has agreed to appoint advocate Thandazani Madonsela as the evidence leader in the ongoing inquiry into former President Jacob Zuma. The decision followed a vote where Madonsela received nine votes compared to seven for advocate Kate Hofmeyr. The African National Congress (ANC) chose Madonsela to avoid accusations of double standards after their own study group had previously received legal advice from Madonsela. The ANC members abstained from voting, citing concerns about potential bias against President Cyril Ramaphosa. The committee also determined that President Ramaphosa may be required to testify, based on parliamentary legal opinion which stated that while the president has the right to remain silent, this would contradict the constitutional framework. The discussion around the standard of proof remains contentious, with tensions over whether it should be 'beyond reasonable doubt' or 'on a balance of probability'.

Bias read (Center): The article presents a balanced overview of the impeachment committee's decisions, highlighting both the ANC's strategic choices and the legal arguments surrounding the requirement for President Ramaphosa to testify. While there is some emphasis on the ANC's actions and criticisms of other advocates