By Simon Nare
National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza has rejected claims by African Transformation Movement (ATM) MP Vuyolwethu Zungula that she met with President Cyril Ramaphosa’s lawyers following the Constitutional Court ruling on the Phala Phala matter.
Zungula has alleged that Didiza met Ramaphosa’s legal representatives and should therefore recuse herself from matters relating to the Section 89 impeachment inquiry.
The impeachment committee formally commenced its work after electing Rise Mzansi MP Makashule Gana as its chairperson.
According to Zungula, the alleged meeting compromised Didiza’s impartiality and rendered her unfit to continue overseeing processes related to the inquiry.
In a statement, Didiza dismissed the allegations as baseless and founded on inaccurate reporting.
“These allegations are entirely false, without any factual basis, and appear to rely solely on tabloid reporting. The Speaker reiterates that she has never met with the legal representatives of the President, either as alleged by Mr Zungula or in any other context relating to this matter,” her office said.
The statement noted that Didiza is an elected ANC member of Parliament who also serves on the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) and National Working Committee (NWC), and is therefore required to attend meetings of those structures as part of her party responsibilities.
“Attendance at party meetings by Members of Parliament is lawful, normal and entirely consistent with South Africa’s constitutional democracy and multiparty political system,” the statement said.
“The allegations made by Mr Zungula are based on pure speculation and appear calculated to cast doubt on the integrity of the Speaker and the credibility of the Section 89 process currently underway.”
The Speaker’s office said that while Zungula continued to advance what it described as unfounded claims in the media, Didiza had complied with every directive flowing from the Constitutional Court judgment without delay.
It cited the establishment of the multiparty impeachment committee in accordance with the court order and parliamentary processes as evidence of that compliance.
Didiza also rejected claims that her participation in the National Assembly vote on the Independent Panel Report in December 2022 constituted grounds for her recusal from subsequent Section 89 proceedings.
“This proposition is without merit. The vote on the Independent Panel Report was a decision of the National Assembly. At the time, Ms Didiza participated in that vote in her capacity as an elected Member of Parliament, exercising the same constitutional rights and responsibilities afforded to every other Member of the House,” the statement said.
The Speaker’s office said she would not be deterred from carrying out her constitutional responsibilities as directed by the court and required by the Constitution.
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