South African President Ramaphosa’s Foes Hit by Legal Setbacks
South African President Ramaphosa’s Foes Hit by Legal Setbacks
(Bloomberg) -- Two of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s biggest detractors suffered significant legal setbacks on Friday, increasing the odds of them being marginalized politically.
A South African judicial panel agreed in Johannesburg to order Jacob Zuma, Ramaphosa’s predecessor, to appear before it next month to respond to allegations of aiding and abetting rampant looting of state funds during his nine-year tenure. And at a simultaneous hearing in Cape Town, the Western Cape High Court rejected a bid by the nation’s anti-graft ombudsman to prevent parliament from probing her fitness to hold office -- a process that may culminate in her being fired.
Ramaphosa took office in 2018 after the ruling party forced Zuma to step down to stem a loss of support. But his efforts to tackle graft have run into opposition from a faction in the ruling party that’s loosely aligned with Zuma and accuses him of selectively targeting political foes.
Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, who heads the inquiry into corruption during Zuma’s tenure, authorized a summons to Zuma to present evidence and respond to questions on Nov. 16. While Zuma appeared before the panel last year, he withdrew from proceedings after his lawyers objected to the line of questioning and argued that he was being unfairly cross-examined. Zuma, who denies any wrongdoing, has since questioned Zondo’s impartiality.
Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane has also been a thorn in Ramaphosa’s side, instituting a probe into allegations that he misled lawmakers about a campaign donation. The courts have overturned several of her findings and rebuked her for failing to stick to her office’s constitutional mandate. That has prompted lawmakers to consider replacing her before her seven-year term ends in 2023.
High Court Judge Elias Matojane ruled that Mkhwebane’s attempts to derail the probe against her was irrational and unlawful. Her removal will require the backing of two-thirds of lawmakers.
Mkhwebane said she will study the judgment before deciding on action. She disagreed with Matojane’s findings because the constitutionality of the rules under which she could be fired have yet to be tested in the courts.
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