Ramaphosa risks being impeached and both within and outside the ANC there are calls for him to resign voluntarily.
A meeting where senior members of South Africa’s ruling party were to discuss the issue on Friday had to be postponed – because Ramaphosa did not show up and was therefore unable to defend himself.
Instead, a meeting was held on why the original meeting could not be held and the participants finally managed to agree to meet again on Sunday, domestic media reports.
The charges relate to strange circumstances surrounding a burglary at the president’s home that was never reported. Cyril Ramaphosa may have committed “serious breaches” of the constitution and the country’s corruption laws, according to an independent committee appointed by parliament.
Ramaphosa was supposed to answer questions before parliament on Thursday, but he also canceled that at short notice, which he also did with a promised press conference that evening.
Ramaphosa is seeking re-election as party leader at the ANC’s party congress in a few weeks. In the long run, he can then be re-elected as president.
If he has not resigned by Tuesday, the South African parliament will then consider the next step, which could involve impeachment.
Ramaphosa took over power in the party and the country in 2018 from the corruption-tainted Jacob Zuma.