Spent a productive hour yesterday reading through an application by Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa to the highest court in our land. SA’s president wants the Constitutional Court to set aside the report compiled by Parliament’s Independent Panel into the Phala Phala affair. His legal team have delivered Ngcobo, Masipa and Sello a snotklap of note.
Ramaphosa’s lawyers make a compelling argument that the Panel – two judges and a senior counsel – ‘misconceived its mandate, misjudged the information placed before it and misinterpreted the four charges.’ They say the Panel’s conclusions are seriously flawed and its recommendations irrational. In lawyer speak that’s as damning as you get.
The president’s 55-page affidavit can be read in full by clicking here. I’d strongly suggest you read it before swallowing any more of the agenda-driven garbage on the matter. It dissects the Panel’s report in detail and, in summary, shows the allegations are based on hearsay with zero supporting evidence; and also that the Panel reached pretty dumb conclusions.
Forensics for Justice’s Paul O’Sullivan reckons it’s a set-up. Even without knowing the background of those making the allegations, that becomes obvious after reading through details unpacked in Ramaphosa’s application. Politics is a dirty game. Then again, not everyone who plays it is smart.
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