Adv. Madonsela rejects Ramaphosa’s Impeachment Committee objections

Advocate Thandazani Madonsela has rejected President Cyril Ramaphosa's objections to his appointment as the evidence leader for Parliament's Impeachment Committee. During Wednesday's committee meeting, MPs were informed that Ramaphosa was objecting to Madonsela due to a perceived conflict of interest. He claimed that he had removed Madonsela from the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) shortly after the 2022 interviews for the Chief Justice appointment, which could lead to a reasonable apprehension of grievance against him.

Ramaphosa's second reservation was based on Madonsela's public comments about the Phala Phala theft during an African National Congress (ANC) engagement. However, in his response to Parliament, Madonsela stated that he had disclosed the engagement with the ANC and that the committee decided to elect him with full knowledge of this.

He also asserted that Ramaphosa's first assertion of possible feelings of grievances were unfounded, as he had never expressed or engaged in ill feelings due to the removal from the JSC. After deliberations and a vote, the committee decided to refer Ramaphosa's letter of objection to the Impeachment Committee for a legal opinion to outline their options.