In brief
A South African court has granted President Cyril Ramaphosa a temporary halt to a parliamentary inquiry that could lead to his impeachment over the so‑called Farmgate scandal. The ruling follows a May Constitutional Court decision that found parliament’s shelving of an independent panel’s report unlawful, pushing the impeachment process back into the public eye. Ramaphosa, who has denied any wrongdoing, is now contesting the panel’s findings in a separate court case set for September. The episode highlights the fragility of the ANC‑led coalition, which no longer enjoys a parliamentary majority after the 2024 elections. Politically, the court’s decision buys time for Ramaphosa to clear his name while the nation watches the unfolding drama.
South African court has granted President Cyril Ramaphosa a temporary halt to a parliamentary impeachment inquiry that could ultimately lead to his removal from office.
The ruling was handed down by the Western Cape High Court, which cited a pending review of an independent panel that had concluded Ramaphosa had reasons to answer to a parliamentary investigation into the 2020 cash‑sofa robbery at his farm in Limpopo.
Earlier this year, the Constitutional Court found that the Parliament had acted unlawfully by shelving the panel’s report, easing the legal path for a revived impeachment process.
In a separate hearing set for September, Ramaphosa’s lawyers argue that the panel misinterpreted its mandate and misjudged evidence, and that halting the inquiry until the panel’s findings are determined is essential to prevent irreparable reputational harm.
The scandal dates back to a 2020 break‑in when thieves stole an estimated $580,000 in U.S. dollars from a sofa at the president’s private farm. The alleged cash was supposedly earned from selling buffaloes, a claim the president has repeatedly denied.
With the ANC’s majority lost in the 2024 elections, the political calculus in Johannesburg has shifted. The court’s order means that any parliamentary actions to impeach must pause until Ramaphosa’s case is resolved, giving the president time to defend his record.
For those wishing to investigate the rumour further, the BBC Africa news desk continues to track this story as it develops.
