The ANC has thwarted another bid by the opposition to revive the Phala Phala probe after it voted against the motion to establish an ad hoc committee to investigate the matter.
The ANC garnered 204 votes against 135 from opposition MPs.
This is the second time in six months after ANC members in the national legislature first threw out the section 89 report.
In a motion tabled by DA leader John Steenhuisen he said the ANC was using its numbers to reject attempts to haul President Cyril Ramaphosa to Parliament to account for what happened at Phala Phala.
But ANC parliamentarian Khaya Magaxa called the motion as opportunistic and trying to subvert other processes including investigations by the South African Reserve Bank and the Hawks, who are yet to finalise their investigations.
He said the motion had a pre-determined outcome that Ramaphosa was guilty.
But the DA, EFF and other parties said the ad hoc committee had to be established to get to the bottom of what happened in Phala Phala.
Steenhuisen said it was clear from the beginning that the ANC would vote against the motion.
If Ramaphosa was clean he must come to Parliament and account.
“An innocent man should never be afraid of the truth, an innocent president should never be afraid of Parliament,” said Steenhuisen.
EFF deputy leader Floyd Shivambu said Ramaphosa has to allow this parliamentary process to unfold.
The committee has to be set up in the same way there was a committee on Nkandla.
UDM leader Bantu Holomisa said allegations of a cover-up have affected investor confidence in the country.
Even the delay by the SARB, the Hawks, the SAPS and the National Prosecuting Authority does not help in clearing the dark cloud over Ramaphosa.
“It is in the interest of the president that this case must be expedited. Unfortunately, the president cannot run away from Parliament. Only transparency will satisfy the South African public,” said Holomisa.
siyabonga.mkhwanazi@inl.co.za
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