President Cyril Ramaphosa of south Africa is expected to appear before ruling party’s Executive Committee on Thursday over charges of violating the constitution.
Details have emerged that Ramaphosa’s allies are arming themselves before a meeting of the African National Congress’s National Executive Committee during which he’s likely to be asked to resign.
An advisory panel found that president Ramaphosa may have violated sections of the constitution following a theft of U$580,000 that was stashed in a sofa at a game farm he owns.
Provisions within the Party’s constitution notes that members facing criminal charges must step aside from their roles to allow legal processes to unfold.
However, President Ramaphosa hasn’t been charged — and on Wednesday reiterated his denial of any wrongdoing — there may be instances in which the party’s integrity body may ask officials facing allegations of wrongdoing to step down.
Treasurer-General Paul Mashatile said, “If there are serious allegations against you that bring the ANC into disrepute, you should approach the integrity commission,” Mashatile said.
“The commission may well say: ‘Yes you are not charged, but we think the allegations against you are so damaging that you should step aside.’ Once they say so, you should, even if you are not charged,” he added.
Ramaphosa previously faced calls to step aside over the farm scandal at an NEC meeting last month.