The uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) is demanding that President Cyril Ramaphosa voluntarily relinquish his duties, contending that his legal effort to challenge impeachment proceedings undermines urgent national priorities and burdens taxpayers.
In a statement, MK Party Member of Parliament Thulani Shongwe characterized the President’s application for a review as a procedural delay that distracts from South Africa’s socioeconomic emergencies. Shongwe held both Ramaphosa and the African National Congress (ANC) accountable for governance failures that, he argued, have exacerbated citizens’ hardships.
Shongwe did not mince words in his assessment: “He is wasting time and he’s a very, very dishonest person.” He questioned the timing and consistency of Ramaphosa’s legal strategy, noting a similar review attempt in 2022 that was ultimately dropped. With a recent court judgment now in place, Shongwe said the President’s renewed push for review lacks credibility. “If he cares about South Africans, he must just do the right thing. Stop wasting South Africans’ time. Stop wasting money.”
Addressing claims that an earlier investigative panel lacked sufficient time to examine certain matters—a factor reportedly cited in support of the review—Shongwe countered that the issue has been in the public domain for years. He argued that a leader attentive to public accountability would have acted sooner. Shongwe also recalled that Ramaphosa declined an invitation to appear before an ad hoc parliamentary committee to address allegations, a position supported by ANC leadership. “If he was an honest person… why was he not willing to come?” Shongwe asked, implying the refusal suggested an intent to avoid scrutiny.
On the constitutional process, Shongwe stressed that Section 89 of the Constitution provides a direct path from impeachment motion to committee formation, and no legal barrier prevents that process from proceeding. He called on voters to observe whether political parties prioritize institutional integrity or partisan loyalty. “If parties are going to defend a president because they have blue lights, they have benefits from that power… they must really watch that space,” he warned.
Shongwe further criticized iterative legal reviews as incompatible with effective governance, noting that parliamentary resources allocated to impeachment proceedings could otherwise support service delivery. “You can’t take a matter to judiciary and then again take it on review. After this review there’s another review somewhere… We are wasting people’s time and money,” he said, emphasizing that MPs engaged in impeachment-related work are needed to address community-level challenges.
Reiterating the MK Party’s position, Shongwe urged Ramaphosa to step aside voluntarily to enable national focus on pressing reforms. “He must just do a simple thing… Allow South Africans to continue fixing [the country],” he concluded.