ANC party bosses have told their MPs that internal disciplinary processes would be activated against anyone who votes against their instruction in the Phala Phala debate due to take place at 2pm on Tuesday.

This is according to at least three senior MPs who spoke to TimesLIVE about discussions at a meeting of the ANC parliamentary caucus on Tuesday morning.

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The National Assembly is due to debate the report of the section 89 panel of experts that found that President Cyril Ramaphosa may have an impeachable case to answer over the theft of millions of rand at his Phala Phala farm.

Should the report be adopted, the National Assembly will immediately institute a committee to lead impeachment proceedings against the president.

At the caucus meeting, the ANC MPs were briefed by the party’s national chairperson Gwede Mantashe, chief whip Pemmy Majodina and ANC caucus chairperson Seiso Mohai.

“The chairperson was very clear, he simply reaffirmed the decision of the national executive committee that we have to vote against the panel’s report,” said one person who was at the meeting.

Another MP said: “Those who vote against the report will be dealt with afterwards through the normal processes of the party.”

An MP known to oppose Ramaphosa’s leadership confirmed they had been given the line of march by Mantashe.

“It’s not sitting well with me. I’m not OK with it but we will see when the crucial moment arrives,” he said.

National Assembly speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has twice declined to allow a secret vote on the matter.

Voting will take place by roll call on Tuesday, with each of the almost 400 MPs expected to orally declare their vote.

TimesLIVE