South Africa’s Court Revives Impeachment Inquiry Against President Cyril Ramaphosa

South Africa’s Constitutional Court has revived the impeachment proceedings against President Cyril Ramaphosa after ruling that parliament acted against the constitution when it stopped the process in 2022.

The court said lawmakers were wrong to block efforts to investigate Ramaphosa over the “Farmgate” scandal, which centred on the theft of a large amount of cash from his Phala Phala farm in Limpopo Province.

The controversy began in 2020 when burglars reportedly stole about $580,000 hidden inside a sofa at the president’s farmhouse.

The incident raised questions about why such a large amount of foreign currency was being kept at the property instead of being deposited in a bank, as required under South African law.

At the time, President Ramaphosa insisted the money came from the sale of buffalo on his farm and denied breaking any laws.

In 2022, an independent panel concluded that there was enough evidence to suggest the president may have violated his oath of office and should face further investigation.

However, parliament voted 214 to 148 against creating an impeachment committee after members of the governing African National Congress (ANC) used their majority to block the move.

The ANC held a parliamentary majority then, although it has since lost that dominance and now governs through a coalition following the 2024 general election.

Delivering Friday’s judgement, Chief Justice Mandisa Maya declared that parliament’s decision on 13 December 2022 was unconstitutional and therefore invalid.

“The vote of the National Assembly taken on 13 December 2022 … is inconsistent with the Constitution, invalid, and it is set aside,” Maya held.

The court also directed that the independent panel’s findings be sent to an impeachment committee for further consideration.

The legal challenge was filed by opposition parties, including the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and the African Transformation Movement (ATM), which have repeatedly demanded Ramaphosa’s resignation.

Even if the impeachment committee recommends formal proceedings, removing the president from office would still require a two-thirds majority vote in parliament.

Despite losing its outright majority, the ANC still controls more than one-third of the seats in the National Assembly, which could help Ramaphosa survive any final vote.

The allegations first became public in June 2022 after the former State Security Agency head. Arthur Fraser accused the president of covering up the theft.

Fraser claimed nearly $4 million had been stolen, though Ramaphosa disputed that figure and maintained the amount taken was $580,000.

Since then, critics have repeatedly questioned why the foreign currency was stored at the farm and whether attempts were made to conceal the robbery.

Following the Constitutional Court’s decision, Ramaphosa’s office said the president respected the ruling and acknowledged that everyone is subject to the law.

The impeachment committee is expected to spend several months reviewing the evidence before deciding whether a formal inquiry should proceed.

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