Parliament Cannot Afford to Drag Its Feet on Presidential Accountability
Press Statement by Lerato Ngobeni MP
ActionSA Parliamentary Chief Whip
ActionSA is concerned by the slow pace at which the newly constituted Parliamentary Section 89 Committee is being established to investigate whether President Cyril Ramaphosa committed serious violations of the Constitution or the law.
A process that has already been delayed for more than three years cannot be subjected to further unnecessary delays. South Africans have waited long enough for Parliament to fulfil its constitutional duty and ensure accountability at the highest level of government.
The contrast with Parliament’s response to the allegations raised by Lt Gen. Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi is striking. Despite Parliament being in recess at the time, the ad-hoc committee established to consider those allegations moved with speed. It elected a chairperson on 5 August 2025, agreed to the preparation of draft terms of reference within four days of its establishment, held its first substantive meeting on 14 August 2025, and adopted final terms of reference by 22 August 2025.
By comparison, Parliament is currently not in recess, yet the Section 89 Committee is scheduled to only hold its first meeting on 22 June 2026, almost three weeks after electing its chairperson merely to begin discussing draft terms of reference.
South Africans are entitled to ask why urgency applies in one matter but not in another. Parliament cannot operate at two different speeds when the issue at hand is presidential accountability.
ActionSA therefore calls on the Section 89 Committee to urgently finalise its terms of reference without delay and immediately commence its work. The credibility of Parliament’s oversight role depends not only on whether accountability processes are established, but on whether they are pursued with the urgency and seriousness they deserve.
Any perception that this process is being unnecessarily delayed risks undermining public confidence in Parliament’s commitment to constitutional accountability. Parliament cannot afford to drag its feet on a matter of such profound public importance. South Africans deserve a process that is credible, efficient, and free from undue delay.
Parliament Cannot Afford to Drag Its Feet on Presidential Accountability
ActionSA is concerned by the slow pace at which the newly constituted Parliamentary Section 89 Committee is being established to investigate whether President Cyril Ramaphosa committed serious violations of the Constitution or the law.
A process that has already been delayed for more than three years cannot be subjected to further unnecessary delays. South Africans have waited long enough for Parliament to fulfil its constitutional duty and ensure accountability at the highest level of government.
The contrast with Parliament’s response to the allegations raised by Lt Gen. Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi is striking. Despite Parliament being in recess at the time, the ad-hoc committee established to consider those allegations moved with speed. It elected a chairperson on 5 August 2025, agreed to the preparation of draft terms of reference within four days of its establishment, held its first substantive meeting on 14 August 2025, and adopted final terms of reference by 22 August 2025.
By comparison, Parliament is currently not in recess, yet the Section 89 Committee is scheduled to only hold its first meeting on 22 June 2026, almost three weeks after electing its chairperson merely to begin discussing draft terms of reference.
South Africans are entitled to ask why urgency applies in one matter but not in another. Parliament cannot operate at two different speeds when the issue at hand is presidential accountability.
ActionSA therefore calls on the Section 89 Committee to urgently finalise its terms of reference without delay and immediately commence its work. The credibility of Parliament’s oversight role depends not only on whether accountability processes are established, but on whether they are pursued with the urgency and seriousness they deserve.
Any perception that this process is being unnecessarily delayed risks undermining public confidence in Parliament’s commitment to constitutional accountability. Parliament cannot afford to drag its feet on a matter of such profound public importance. South Africans deserve a process that is credible, efficient, and free from undue delay.