A South African high court has granted President Cyril Ramaphosa’s request to temporarily suspend parliamentary impeachment proceedings related to allegations concerning funds taken from his private residence. The Western Cape high court judge ruled that the parliamentary committee cannot continue its hearings while the president pursues a separate legal challenge against the panel’s findings, a case scheduled to be heard in September.
The underlying matter stems from 2020, when thieves burglarized Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm in Limpopo province and stole cash hidden in a sofa, with initial reports indicating approximately $580,000 in US currency was taken. The incident remained largely unknown until 2022, when a former intelligence official publicly disclosed the theft and suggested the president had concealed it from law enforcement and tax authorities. Ramaphosa stated the money originated from the sale of buffalo. Questions about potential violations of exchange control laws also arose due to the foreign currency nature of the funds.
An independent panel determined in 2022 that the president might have grounds to answer charges related to the incident. However, parliament initially voted against launching an impeachment inquiry. This changed after the Constitutional Court ruled in May that legislators had acted unlawfully in shelving the panel’s report. The court decision reflected significant shifts in South African politics, as the governing ANC no longer commands a parliamentary majority following the 2024 election and now operates within a coalition framework.
Ramaphosa’s legal team argued that proceeding with the impeachment committee while his court challenge remained pending could cause irreparable damage to his reputation. Two of the three judges hearing the matter sided with the president. The ruling allows additional time for his separate legal case to proceed before any parliamentary proceedings can resume. Multiple political parties have responded differently, with some questioning the delay while others defend the legal process.
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