Ramaphosa’s fate lies in report

After he survived calls from within the ANC to stand aside, the measure of the damage the Phala Phala scandal has inflicted on President Cyril Ramaphosa is likely to lie in the report due on the speaker’s desk by month’s end as to whether there is evidence of wrongdoing worthy of an impeachment inquiry.

That report, by a three-person panel headed by former Chief Justice Sandile Ngcobo, was due on Friday but the 30-day deadline has been extended to 30 November — one day before parliament is due to rise for its summer recess.

Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula granted the extension in response to a request from Ngcobo sent on Tuesday. He said the panel had concluded it could not meet the deadline “given the amount of ground still to be covered” and required another fortnight to finish its work.