03 June 2026
The ANC Parliamentary Caucus welcomes the constitution of the Section 89 Impeachment Committee, including the election of its chairperson. The committee has a mandate to investigate allegations that President Cyril Ramaphosa may have breached the Constitution and his oath of office.
The multi-party 31-member committee includes nine ANC members, and we have no doubt that it will conduct its work in a non-partisan manner, in line with Parliament’s oversight responsibilities as outlined in Section 55 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. This process is essential to ensuring that the Executive and organs of state remain accountable.
Clarification on the Role of ANC Study Groups
The leaders of some political parties within the Government of National Unity (GNU) have publicly raised concerns about ANC study groups. The first salvo was fired by UDM leader and Deputy Minister Bantu Holomisa in a letter addressed to the Speaker of the National Assembly, Honourable Thoko Didiza, and the Chairperson of the Public Service Commission, Professor Somadoda Fikeni.
The ANC Parliamentary Caucus believes it is imperative that we take our GNU partners and the people of South Africa into confidence regarding the purpose and operations of our study groups.
We state categorically that our GNU partners’ opinions about ANC study groups, which are substructures of the ANC Parliamentary Caucus, are not well informed, completely misguided and devoid any truth. As the name suggests, a study group is a preparatory forum where ANC Members of Parliament collectively engage with and analyse documents and matters that belong within the terrain of work of deployment.
Study groups are meetings of ANC Members of Parliament that discuss a variety of issues including forthcoming committee business, oversight of government departments and organs of state, the processing of legislation, and the facilitation of public participation.
Officials from government departments are occasionally invited solely to provide factual and technical briefings on matters of interest to the respective study groups. These are information-sharing sessions only. No directives are issued, and no administrative authority is exercised. They are certainly not sinister attempts to facilitate state capture in any form, as others, strangely, have sought to suggest.
All ANC Members of Parliament have taken an oath to uphold and respect the Constitution and the laws of the Republic. We therefore wish to assure South Africans that no constitutional provision is violated when a political party establishes its own internal caucuses or study groups. Internal workings of the ANC Caucus is determined by office of the Chief Whip, neither the Speaker of the National Assembly nor GNU partners can dictate how the ANC, or any other political party, should manage its internal affairs.
It is factually incorrect to suggest that ANC study groups are platforms through which Members of Parliament become embedded in administrative processes. The ANC has consistently exercised its oversight role in accordance with the constitutional obligations imposed by Section 42(3), the legislative authority contained in Section 44 of the Constitution, and the Rules of Parliament.
The invitation of public sector officials to provide information to any political party does not contravene the law. All political parties are at liberty to request information from government departments to assist them in performing their oversight responsibilities. Such requests are routinely accommodated in a manner consistent with the law and the relevant protocols governing the disclosure of official information.
Migration Challenges
We have noted the rising tensions between South Africans and foreign nationals living in our country, which have had a negative impact across the continent. South Africans have been accused of xenophobia, and countries such as Ghana have reportedly initiated processes to repatriate some of their citizens from South Africa while also raising concerns through continental institutions.
We strongly reject the strange notion that South Africans are xenophobic. South Africa has the biggest and sophisticated economy in the region and naturally attractive to economic migrants from the region and the rest of the continent.
Our neighbouring countries also have a duty to their citizens living in our country. We condemn any unlawful conduct towards foreign nationals, irrespective on their status in our country. On the same vein the ANC Caucus strongly condemns the behaviour of some foreign nationals who display arrogance and contempt towards South Africa, its people and laws. The ANC Caucus notes the pressures facing our economy and the persistently high rate of unemployment. We therefore urge employment agencies and employers to comply with both labour and immigration laws. The exploitation of undocumented workers is unlawful and constitutes a violation of the Labour Relations Act and the Basic Conditions of Employment Act.
We commend the Border Management Authority for the upgrading of at least six of the country’s principal border posts and the surrounding infrastructure. These upgrades have introduced modern technology capable of tracking and tracing visitors who overstay their lawful period of stay, as well as individuals who enter the country on short-term permits and fail to depart as required.
We also welcome the refinement and implementation of the “First Safe Country Principle”, which provides that asylum seekers who have already been granted refugee status or lawful protection in another country, or who have passed through safe third countries before arriving in South Africa, may be ineligible for asylum in South Africa.
Prioritisation of South Africans Through Small Business Development
We welcome the efforts led by the Department of Small Business Development and Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams to protect local livelihoods through legislative reforms, business licensing frameworks, and targeted township economy support programmes that prioritise South African citizens within the bounds of the law.
Through the Spaza Shop Support Fund, government has invested significantly in sustaining locally owned spaza shops by providing financial and non-financial support to South African-owned enterprises, helping to prevent the displacement of local businesses.
The ANC Parliamentary Caucus remains committed to advancing policies that promote economic inclusion, strengthen border management, uphold the rule of law, and protect the constitutional rights of all who live in South Africa.
The Speaker on the National Assembly
We have noted strange calls for the Speaker of the National Assembly, Cde Thoko Didiza to recuse herself from the proceedings relating to the work of the Impeachment Committee. Gratuitous allegation has been made the Speaker lacks the capacity to impartially guide the work of the Impeachment Committee merely because she is a member and leader of the African National Congress.
Comrade Thoko Didiza is a longstanding member and leader of the African National Congress who has demonstrated leadership acumen in dealing with governance matters over years. There is absolutely no basis whatsoever to suggest that she will compromise the work of the impeachment committee and the ANC Caucus categorically reject the call for the Speaker to recuse herself.
Local Government Elections
The IEC has designated the 20th & 21st June 2026 as the first open weekend registration in preparations for the November Local Government Elections. The ANC Caucus will deploy all our public representatives to engage the people of South Africa, particularly the youth to register to vote. The right to vote came at a huge price and cannot be taken for granted. Unregistered South Africans must register online on the IEC website. All our parliamentary constituency offices are open daily to assist voters who wish to register but are unsure how to go about it.
Issued by the Office of the Chief Whip, Cde Mdumiseni Ntuli (MP)
Inquires:
Hlengiwe Hadebe
Media Liaison Officer
+27 64 147 3276