Following the recent Constitutional Court judgment and the subsequent move to establish a Section 89 Impeachment Committee, the Democratic Alliance (DA) has formally submitted the names of those who will represent the party on the committee.

The names of five of its members in the National Assembly have been sent to Speaker Thoko Didiza.

The members will represent the party on the committee, which is tasked with investigating the 2020 Phala Phala farm incident and determining whether President Cyril Ramaphosa committed an impeachable offence.

Last week, the Constitutional Court ruled that the National Assembly acted unconstitutionally and invalidly in December 2022 when it blocked impeachment proceedings against Ramaphosa over the Phala Phala farm scandal.

It ordered that the independent panel’s report be officially referred to a parliamentary impeachment committee.

The DA has maintained that where there is a finding of wrongdoing against the President, it will hold him accountable, mirroring the action taken against various members of his Cabinet.

"We respect the rule of law and have a constitutional duty to hold the executive accountable in a constructive manner, in the best interest of all South Africans," the party stated.

The party has appointed Parliamentary leader George Michalakis; Deputy Chief Whip Bax Nodada; advocate Glynnis Breytenbach; national spokesperson Karabo Khakhau and DA spokesperson on Social Development Nazley Sharif.

The DA said its selected team brings “significant” experience in parliamentary oversight, particularly in holding the executive accountable.

It highlighted that Khakhau gained prominence after exposing the scandal involving the appointments of African National Congress-linked chairpersons to Sector Education and Training Authority boards, which ultimately led to the removal of former Higher Education and Training Minister Nobuhle Nkabane, while Sharif recently spearheaded the accountability campaign against former Minister of Social Development Sisisi Tolashe.

Ramaphosa fired Tolashe on Thursday.

The 31-member impeachment committee will begin its work following the submission of names by all political parties, which were required to be submitted by Friday.