AS IT HAPPENED | President Cyril Ramaphosa survives vote, will not face impeachment inquiry

"Even if there is no impeachment process, there is still accountability," says Lamola. He says the debate is a form of accountability.

- Jan Gerber

AIC MP Steven Jafta says executive power must independently be checked. He says when there is an impeachment motion against the president, the assembly must carry the wishes of the people, and members must freely vote on the matter. 

- Jan Gerber

Cope MP Willie Madisha says the panel's mandate was to determine whether there is a basis to proceed with impeachment. He says according to the panel's report, there is no basis. 

- Jan Gerber

According to Madisha, the panel rejected the authenticity of the information by Arthur Fraser.

- Jan Gerber

PAC leader Mzwanele Nyhontso says the PAC agrees that Ramaphosa should be further investigated. "He definitely needs to be probed." He says it is "scandalous" that Ramaphosa couldn't provide answers. He says the "tsotsis" rule the ANC.

- Jan Gerber

Al Jamah-ah's Ganief Hendricks says: "The ANC is Al Jamah-ah lite." This is probably in response from the jeers from other opposition parties. He says the Phala Phala report has no "evidentiary muster" and the report must just be noted. He says the media created a "sensational narrative" and they must "sober up".

- Jan Gerber

Hendricks questions whether keeping $1 million in furniture is a gross violation of the Constitution.

- Jan Gerber

DA chief whip Siviwe Gwarube says the vote is not about impeaching Ramaphosa or the ANC presidential race. "This vote is about accountability," she says. She says it is a vote to afford Ramaphosa an opportunity to have the truth uncovered, something an innocent person would want. She says it is not about Ramaphosa alone, but various government officials also involved. Like Steenhuisen, she invokes the memory of the ANC protecting Zuma.

- Jan Gerber

ANC MP Qubudile Dyantyi starts the final speech of the day by recognising Deputy President David Mabuza. Dyantyi says since the release of the panel's report, the nation has been faced by uncertainty.

He says the ATM has proposed a motion of no confidence in Ramaphosa, which they withdrew after the court didn't agree with them on a secret ballot, and the DA brought a motion of no confidence in Cabinet.

He says the ANC is confronted by an opposition who seeks the ANC's demise by "hook or crook". He says the opposition are hypocrites. They called on another motion of no confidence, showing they do not have confidence in the impeachment process.

- Jan Gerber

Dyantyi says the independent panel made some critical observations. He says the panel didn't know whether the SA Reserve Bank, the police, and Financial Intelligence Centre and others completed their investigations. "We are asked to support a report that is so full of doubt," he says.

- Jan Gerber

He says the panel is uncertain of the substance of the evidence it received. He says it is false to say Ramaphosa committed money laundering, as the report itself is unsure of the source of the money. He says if the panel recommended an impeachment committee, it is still up to the National Assembly to make the final decision.

"The ANC does not support this report, because the independent panel itself was not convinced." he says. He says the ANC's position isn't arbitrary.

- Jan Gerber

Dyantyi calls on all South Africans not be stirred up by media and opposition hype.

-Jan Gerber

Like Lamola, Dyantyi says the test is much higher than prima facie. He says some of the defects in the rules must be fixed.

-Jan Gerber

That concludes the debate on the report. 

- Jan Gerber

Mapisa-Nqakula asks if there are objections to the report. GOOD's Herron proposes an alternative resolution, that the National Assembly resolves to defer the establishment of the impeachment committee pending the outcome of Ramaphosa's review application at the Constitutional Court.

Mapisa-Nqakula says this motion should have been moved at the start of the proceedings. She rules it out of order.

- Jan Gerber

Mapisa-Nqakula puts the question of whether the impeachment process should proceed to the House. "NOOOOO!" screams ANC MPs.

"I think the no's have it," she says. Gwarube calls for a division. The bells will be rung for ten minutes. This means, after ten minutes, the doors will be locked and only the MPs inside the chamber will be allowed to vote.

- Jan Gerber

The plenary resumes, with EFF leader Julius Malema again calling for a secret ballot.

-Jan Gerber

Soon after the DA's chief Siviwe Gwarube called for a division, MPs of the ANC are in a celebratory mood. A group of MPs, including Deputy Health Minister Sibongiseni Dhlomo, are singing and dancing.

MPs from the DA and EFF are in long talks and standing not too far from each other. At one stage EFF leader Julius Malema and DA leader John Steenhuisen were in talks.

For the Phala Phala report to be adopted, the opposition need the support of several ANC members. The bells have now rung for ten minutes and parliamentary officials have now closed the doors. MPs inside the chamber will now start the voting process.

- Jason Felix

Malema claims there are 60 members of the "ruling party" who would vote if there was a secret ballot. Mapisa-Nqakula says she doesn't get intimidated that easily.

Mapisa-Nqakula outlines the different voting options. She says each member will be called upon and requested to voice their vote, as an electronic voting system is not available.

- Jan Gerber

The ANC MPs will be first to vote. Mapisa-Nqakula asks MPs to indicate only their vote by saying "yes", "no" or "abstain". 

- Jan Gerber

EFF chief whip Floyd Shivambu wants to place on record that they do not agree with Mapisa-Nqakula's decision and they will take it to court and hold her personally responsible.

"You are not going to win this," he says. Mapisa-Nqakula wants to proceed, but UDM MP Nqabayomzi Kwankwa wants a word. He says the call for a secret ballot is to safeguard the process. He says people will now vote under duress against the report.

- Jan Gerber

COMMENT: The proponents of the a secret ballot completely ignore the fact that the Constitution requires Parliament to conduct its work with transparency. 

- Jan Gerber

ANC chief whip Pemmy Majodina is the first to vote. "I vote no." Second is Mabuza: "I vote no."

Deputy Speaker Tsenoli, Pandor, House chairpersons Cedric Frolick and Grave Boloto and Ntombela all voted no, as did deputy chief whip Doris Dlakude.

Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma: "As a disciplined member of the ANC i vote yes!" Huge cheers from the EFF. She is the first ANC MP who defies the party line.

-Jan Gerber

Pravin Gordhan, seated right next Dlamini-Zuma: "As a disciplined member of the ANC, I vote no."

Mapisa-Nqakula reminds the MPs not to have any preambles. So far Dlamini-Zuma is the only ANC MP who voted "yes".

- Jan Gerber

Lindiwe Sisulu is not present when her name is called. She was expected to vote yes.

- Jan Gerber

ANC MP Tandi Mahambehlala first says: "Party line." Asked again, she says yes.

Supra Mahumapelo also votes yes.

DA MPs are now voting, the first four have all voted yes.

-Jan Gerber

All the DA MPs present voted yes.

-Jan Gerber

Tandi Mahambehlala says she indicated incorrectly that she voted yes, she meant to vote no. This means only four ANC MPs voted yes. DA chief whip Siviwe Gwarube says the rules does not allow MPs to change their votes.

- Jan Gerber

Mapisa-Nqakula, says the voting procedure is not yet closed. She says Rule 117 states party whips may scrutinise the voting lists and make changes as long as it does not affect the result of the division.

Malema says they are proceeding on very wrong footing. "To ask for person to correct the vote, is extremely wrong," he says. He says what Mahambehlala did should not be allowed.

"It is wrong to say a person can correct a vote." He says it is intimidating.

- Jan Gerber

Steenhuisen says Mapisa-Nqakula's reliance on a provision for electronic voting falls away. He says there are no provisions for Mapisa-Nqakula's ruling that people could change their vote.

- Jan Gerber

Mapisa-Nqakula says she had a discussion with the secretary to the National Assembly, so the voting process is closed.

"I am protecting the process," she says. She does not want to the vote "which has gone so well" to be "spoilt by silly mistakes". She has stopped the changing of votes.

- Jan Gerber

President Cyril Ramaphosa survives impeachment vote

President Cyril Ramaphosa has survived an impeachment vote in the National Assembly.

Despite dissension brewing in the ANC ranks ahead of Tuesday's crunch vote, not enough members of the governing party were willing to support the opposition's motion.

The ATM's motion was defeated by 214 votes to 148, with two abstentions.

Melanie Verwoerd | No impeachment for Ramaphosa, but is he out of the woods?

Unless the opposition can convince the courts that there was a problem with the voting mechanism, this is the end of the road for impeachment proceedings against Cyril Ramaphosa in Parliament. But, Melanie Verwoerd writes, this is not the end of the matter for the president.

Phala Phala saga: How the rebellion against Ramaphosa fumbled, stumbled and ultimately crumbled

With the ANC's crucial elective conference just three days away, presidential hopeful Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma led a rebel group of ANC MPs in Parliament whose attempt to impeach President Cyril Ramaphosa ultimately crumbled under pressure.

FIRST TAKE | Phala Phala landmines cleared as ANC MPs back Ramaphosa

Tuesday's vote against adopting the Section 89 report means all landmines in Cyril Ramaphosa's way ahead of his re-election at the ANC conference have now been cleared, writes Qaanitah Hunter.