For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Thabi Shomolekae.

Making headlines: Speaker initiates establishment of impeachment committee after Phala Phala court ruling; Ramaphosa warns against illegal searches and ‘opportunists’ who target foreign nationals; And, two test positive as evacuation of virus-hit cruise ship nears completion

Speaker initiates establishment of impeachment committee after Phala Phala court ruling

In response to the Constitutional Court's judgment on the Phala Phala vote, Parliament has announced that National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza will initiate the process to establish an Impeachment Committee.

This comes after the apex court declared that the previous parliamentary process used to shield President Cyril Ramaphosa was unconstitutional.

The Constitutional Court on Friday, delivered a crushing indictment of Parliament’s previous handling of the Phala Phala saga. The apex court declared Rule 129I of the National Assembly unconstitutional and set aside the December 2022 vote that halted an impeachment inquiry against Ramaphosa.

The court found that the previous parliamentary vote, which relied on a simple majority to shut down the process, violated the National Assembly’s constitutional obligations under Section 89 of the Constitution.

Parliament spokesperson Moloto Mothapo said that in compliance with the Constitutional Court judgment, Didiza will initiate the process to establish an Impeachment Committee in terms of Rules 129J to 129O of the Rules of the National Assembly.

This committee will consider the Section 89 inquiry process regarding the allegations against the President, specifically the findings of the Independent Panel Report, which found prima facie evidence of potential violations by the President.

Mothapo noted that the Independent Panel Report will be formally referred to the newly constituted Impeachment Committee, and that Didiza will refer the Constitutional Court judgment to the National Assembly Subcommittee on the Review of Rules to ensure they align with the Court’s findings.

Didiza will formally inform National Assembly of the Independent Panel Report by tabling it through the appropriate journals of Parliament and will provide Ramaphosa with a copy of the report.

Ramaphosa warns against illegal searches and ‘opportunists’ who target foreign nationals

President Cyril Ramaphosa condemned the recent surge of violent protests and criminality targeting foreign nationals, declaring that such acts do not represent the views of South Africans or the policy of the government.

In his weekly letter to the nation, Ramaphosa addressed the rising tensions in parts of the country, arguing that the violence is being driven by "opportunists" who are exploiting legitimate grievances, particularly among the poor, under the pretext of community activism.

He condemned vigilante tactics, such as individuals or groups stopping people to check identification and conduct searches of private property.

"Some of these people are assuming functions that only State officials are permitted to perform... Such lawlessness will not be tolerated, regardless of who the perpetrators or victims are," he stated.

Ramaphosa emphasised that everyone in South Africa is bound by the same laws, regardless of their status.

While condemning the violence, which has drawn concern from other African nations, Ramaphosa acknowledged the legitimacy of concerns surrounding illegal immigration and its impact on social stability, governance, and national security.

He noted that undocumented migration creates strain on essential public services like healthcare, housing, and municipalities, particularly in disadvantaged communities.

And, two test positive as evacuation of virus-hit cruise ship nears completion

Two people have tested positive for hantavirus after being evacuated from the luxury cruise ship hit by a deadly outbreak, health authorities said, as Spain prepared on Monday to evacuate and repatriate the last passengers remaining on the vessel.

A French passenger who was evacuated from the MV Hondius tested positive for the virus and her condition is deteriorating, French Health Minister Stephanie Rist said.

The US Department of Health and Human Services said on Sunday that one of the 17 Americans being repatriated had tested mildly positive for the Andes strain of the virus, while a second had shown mild symptoms.

The last 24 passengers still on board the MV Hondius are set to be evacuated on Monday afternoon from the cruise ship, now anchored near Spain's Atlantic island of Tenerife, according to Spanish authorities coordinating the evacuations.

The move will cap a complex operation that has so far resulted in 94 people being evacuated and repatriated to their countries of residence, 41 days after the MV Hondius set off from southern Argentina and nine days after the first positive test result for the respiratory viral infection.

Three people have died since the start of the outbreak - a Dutch couple and a German national.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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