Morning Brief: Ramaphosa called a “criminal” as MPs demand answers on his “Nkandla”

News in brief:

• Ramaphosa faces rowdy opposition demanding answers for the Phala Phala farm theft.
• Public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane is suspended.
• Comair moves from business rescue to liquidation after failing to secure funding.

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s presidency budget speech in parliament yesterday got off to a rowdy start with opposition parties bringing up multiple points of order and asking the president to account for the Phala Phala farm robbery. The president was unable to speak for over an hour.

The EFF, true to form, were the loudest objectors in the house and called the president a “criminal” and a “money launderer”.  The red beret-wearing party got so vociferous in their complaints that five EFF MPs were eventually removed by parliament’s protection services and the sergeant-at-arms while speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula had to mute the EFF members participating on the virtual platform. The party also called the president a “murderer” for his involvement in the Marikana tragedy – Business Day. Read more here. (for subscribers)

Meanwhile, Ramaphosa suspended public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane with immediate effect on Thursday just as she announced earlier in the week that her office would be investigating the Phala Phala theft. The move also came a day before the judgement in her case blocking him from doing so is due. The presidency said Mkhwebane would remain suspended until parliament’s impeachment process was complete – News24. Read more here.

In a shock yesterday, Comair’s business rescue practitioners said it had failed to raise funding for the embattled airline, which operates British Airways locally as well as low-cost carrier Kulula, and have lodged a court application to convert the business rescue process into liquidation proceedings. Union NUMSA said the airline had possibly been under business rescue for the longest period of any business in history but the BRPs failed to implement a strategy to keep the business viable – BizNews.  Read more here.