RAMAPHOSA REQUIRED TO EXPLAIN RETAINING GIGABA IN HIS CABINET

The DA wants Ramaphosa to explain his decision not to drop Malusi Gigaba and Bathabile Dlamini from his Cabinet when he took over in February.

FILE: Malusi Gigaba briefing President Cyril Ramaphosa on his scheduled visit to the US to showcase the country. Picture: @MTshwete/Twitter

Lindsay  Dentlinger
Eyewitness News

CAPE TOWN - While it still remains to be seen whether Malusi Gigaba will resign as a Member of Parliament following his resignation as Home Affairs minister, President Cyril Ramaphosa is not off the hook in explaining why he retained Gigaba in his Cabinet.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) says it still wants the court to declare his appointment as minister unlawful and unconstitutional.

The party is also challenging Minister Bathabile Dlamini's position in the Cabinet through the same court action.

The DA wants Ramaphosa to explain his decision not to drop Gigaba and Dlamini from his Cabinet when he took over in February.

DA leader Mmusi Maimane says Gigaba must face perjury charges and can't stay on as a backbencher.

“If the bar is such that you can resign as a minister and retain your job as an MP, well our future as a country will end up in a space where we avoid accountability by stepping down in the executive role and becoming an ordinary MP. I think we’ve got to set our bar much higher than that.”

Ramaphosa has asked for more time to respond to the DA’s court challenge due to his international travel commitments.

He has until next Thursday to indicate whether he intends opposing the application which is set to be heard in March next year.