The ANC's Carl Niehaus joined the protest, saying he shared the views of the opposition parties that Ramaphosa must be held accountable.
“This is not just an opposition parties march. It is a march about principle and accountability. There are opposition parties here, there are members of the civil society here and there also members of the ANC, like myself, and every member of the ANC should have been here,” he said.
“It's a shame that he wasn't held accountable at the National Assembly. It is a shame that members of the ANC in parliament protected him and helped him not to answer a legitimate question that was asked of him.”
Opposition parties and a few ANC members protest over public protector’s Phala Phala report
Image: Phathu Luvhengo
Opposition political party supporters, with some ANC members, braced scorching heat in Pretoria on Friday morning to march on the public protector's office to demand she release the report on Phala Phala.
The report concerns a probe into the burglary at President Cyril Ramaphosa's farm in Bela-Bela, Limpopo.
Former State Security Agency director-general Arthur Fraser opened a criminal case against Ramaphosa in June, accusing the president of concealing the crime from police and defeating the ends of justice, kidnapping, interrogation and bribery.
Members of the EFF, UDM, ATM, COPE and ACDP, as well as the Forum for Service Delivery. gathered opposite Loftus Versfeld Stadium for the march to acting public protector Kholeka Gcaleka's office to demand the release of the report.
Chanting and singing political songs, the protesters brandished placards stating “Ramaphosa has broken the law” and “Ramadollar is not above the law! Release the Phala Phala report”.
The ANC's Carl Niehaus joined the protest, saying he shared the views of the opposition parties that Ramaphosa must be held accountable.
“This is not just an opposition parties march. It is a march about principle and accountability. There are opposition parties here, there are members of the civil society here and there also members of the ANC, like myself, and every member of the ANC should have been here,” he said.
“It's a shame that he wasn't held accountable at the National Assembly. It is a shame that members of the ANC in parliament protected him and helped him not to answer a legitimate question that was asked of him.”
Addressing the crowd before the march, the EFF's Floyd Shivambu said Ramaphosa was supposed to respond in 30 days and it had been more than 90 days without his response.
“She [Gcaleka] is not using the powers of the public protector's office. She is not using the powers of the necessary legislation that governs members of the executive and the president and MPs,” he said.
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