Impeachment Committee | ANC raises ethical concerns over evidence leader

A fresh dispute has emerged over Parliament’s Section 89 impeachment process after the African National Congress (ANC) raised ethical concerns about the committee’s preferred candidat to lead evidence in the inquiry into President Cyril Ramaphosa.

The party says it will write to National Assembly Speaker, Thoko Didiza, to formally express its reservations about the recommendation of Advocate, Thandazani Madonsela, arguing that he had previously provided legal advice to the ANC on the impeachment process.

Speaking on the sidelines of the ANC National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on Friday, Secretary General, Fikile Mbalula, said ANC members abstained from voting for Madonsela during Wednesday’s impeachment committee meeting because of that prior involvement.

“Whether it was a small piece of advice, at the end of the day he had agreed to advise the ANC. So the ethical thing to do was not to avail yourself to the committee. When we became aware that he had been suggested to become the evidence leader, we abstained. We have nothing against him. He is a good lawyer,” Mbalula said.

While the ANC argues his appointment presents an ethical dilemma, Parliament will make the final decision.

Madonsela was nominated by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and emerged as the committee’s preferred candidate after securing nine votes from the Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party, Build One South Africa (BOSA), the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP), the African Transformation Movement (ATM) and United Africans Transformation (UAT).

Meanwhile, the committee has continued with preparatory work, including finalising its terms of reference, considering witness lists and recommending an evidence leader, despite the Western Cape High Court temporarily halting public hearings pending the President’s review application in early September. 

The ANC’s intervention could further delay the process if Parliament is required to reconsider the recommendation.

The committee has also resolved that Ramaphosa will not be the first witness called. However, impeachment chairperson, Makashule Gana, says the President will be expected to testify at a later stage and, if he declines to appear voluntarily, the committee has the legal authority to summon him.

The Section 89 committee was established to determine whether Ramaphosa committed a serious violation of the Constitution and whether Parliament should consider impeachment proceedings.

[WATCH] ANC BRIEFED THE MEDIA ON THE SIDELINES OF THE ANC NEC MEETING https://t.co/mqagrqmdkf

— ANC SECRETARY GENERAL | Fikile Mbalula (@MbalulaFikile) August 7, 2026