Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma

ANC MPs voted down the Ngcobo report that recommended he face further inquiry over the Phala Phala scandal.

Pointing to Mineral Resources and Energy Minister [Gwede Mantashe](https://mg.co.za/tag/gwede-mantashe/), the chairman of the ANC, he said he had threatened MPs with expulsion on the way to the chamber if they were to break rank. It meant that Mahambehlala’s vote was reflected as a “yes” in the tally. The ATM has filed papers in response. [Lindiwe Sisulu](https://mg.co.za/tag/lindiwe-sisulu/), who has publicly called on Ramaphosa to step down, was absent from the chamber when her name was called, though she was present while the report was debated. On Tuesday, she sought to shut down further debate on the subject but UDM chief whip Nqabayomzi Kwankwa threatened that parties may yet take the issue to court. To reject the report was to send a signal that those who were politically connected remained insulated from accountability. It is also evident that this did not begin and end with the president, an entire network of government players and ministers are possibly implicated. In Tuesday’s debate, opposition leaders had a field day criticising the president for resisting scrutiny and refusing to subject himself to a constitutional process. The muddled response was eventually recorded as a vote in favour of the motion. Then it was fire pools and cattle kraals. “Then it was Nkandla. Next in line in the roll call voting process was Public Enterprises Minister