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President Cyril Ramaphosa will learn on Friday whether he must answer before a parliamentary impeachment committee when the Western Cape High Court rules on his urgent application for an interdict. If the court does not grant the interdict, Ramaphosa will have to explain what he knew about the 2020 theft of $580,000 from his Phala Phala game farm in Limpopo and face cross-examination from parliament’s section 89 impeachment committee. On Wednesday the committee narrowed the field of potential evidence leaders for its inquiry into Ramaphosa’s conduct in the Phala Phala matter after several senior advocates indicated they were unavailable to take up the role.Nine senior advocates were nominated by political parties — but only four are immediately available to begin work in August, while one is only available from November because of existing commitments.The committee postponed appointing an evidence leader and agreed to reopen nominations until Friday, with a final decision expected next week after parliament’s legal advisers assess the availability of any additional nominees. Zinzile Matebese SC is only available to serve from November because of existing commitments, making him unsuitable for the committee’s preferred August start date.The committee is also awaiting a Western Cape High Court ruling on Ramaphosa’s application to halt the inquiry pending the outcome of his review application. The nominees available immediately are: Kate Hofmeyr SC, a senior counsel specialising in constitutional, administrative, commercial and competition law. She served as one of the evidence leaders at the Zondo commission of inquiry into state capture between 2018 and 2022 and has acted as a judge in both the Joburg and Western Cape high courts. Vuyani Ngalwana SC, a senior advocate and former deputy head of the National Prosecuting Authority’s Asset Forfeiture Unit. He has practised extensively in constitutional, administrative and commercial law and previously served as a pension funds adjudicator. Ismail Jamie SC, one of the Cape Bar’s most experienced senior advocates, having practised for almost four decades. His areas of expertise include constitutional, administrative, public, labour and commercial law. Pule Seleka SC, a Joburg senior counsel who previously clerked for former chief justice Arthur Chaskalson at the Constitutional Court. He has acted as both a high court and labour court judge and specialises in constitutional, administrative, commercial and labour law. Zinzile Matebese SC is only available to serve from November because of existing commitments, making him unsuitable for the committee’s preferred August start date.Those not available are: Taki Madima SC;Eshed Cohen;Marumo Moerane SC; and Doron Goldberg SC.During the meeting, parliament’s legal advisers also flagged that Ngalwana had previously made public comments about the Phala Phala matter. ANC MP Mikateko Mahlaule argued that while Ngalwana may not be legally conflicted, there could be a perception of bias. MK Party parliamentary leader John Hlophe countered that similar arguments could be made about other nominees, including Hofmeyr, who has previously represented Ramaphosa. The committee deferred that decision until its next meeting. Business Day
