Thokozile Mnguni
The Speaker of the National Assembly, Thoko Didiza, has confirmed that political parties have now completed the nomination process for members of the committee.
Submissions were due by Friday, and the majority of parties complied within the required timeframe.
The African National Congress submitted its list after the deadline, though it was still accepted over the weekend.
Two parties, GOOD and the Pan-Africanist Congress of Azania, will not take part, citing their limited representation in the legislature.
The committee has been established to consider issues arising from the Phala Phala allegations involving President Cyril Ramaphosa.
The matter stems from a February 2020 incident in which thieves allegedly broke into the President’s farm in Limpopo. A significant amount of foreign currency, said to have been concealed in a couch, was reportedly taken. Estimates place the value of the cash between $580,000 and $4 million.
What began as a burglary case later developed into a wider political controversy, raising questions over undeclared foreign currency, possible money laundering, and how the incident was handled.
Former intelligence head Arthur Fraser subsequently laid criminal charges against Ramaphosa at the Rosebank Police Station, alleging kidnapping, the interrogation of suspects, and an attempt to conceal the theft of the money.
The President has rejected any wrongdoing, maintaining that the cash came from the legitimate sale of game to a buyer and was stolen before it could be deposited into a bank account.
The committee was established by Speaker Didiza following a Constitutional Court ruling that set aside Parliament’s earlier decision on the Section 89 panel report.
Its members are expected to determine whether the conduct under review amounts to misconduct or a breach of the Constitution, and whether it undermined public confidence in office.
Once its work concludes, the committee will present a report containing findings and recommendations to the National Assembly.