In brief
A court ruling blocked a parliamentary committee from proceeding with impeachment hearings while a separate lawsuit over the ‘Farmgate’ case is heard. The panel that accused President Cyril Ramaphosa of hiding a $580,000 cash theft from his farm in 2020 has been shown to act unlawfully. Ramaphosa’s legal team argues the delay protects his reputation; the injunction forces the committee to wait until his case is resolved. The move highlights South Africa’s shifting political landscape as the ANC now partners in a coalition government.
A South African court has banned a parliamentary impeachment inquiry into President Cyril Ramaphosa while he raises a separate legal challenge about a panel that named him during the 2020 ‘Farmgate’ scandal.
The panel, which was set up after burglars stole US$580 000 from his private farm, said Ramaphosa could face impeachment. Parliament had initially run the inquiry, then stalled it, but the Constitutional Court found that move unlawful.
Now, nine days ago a judge in the Western Cape held the committee’s hearings “pending the determination by this court of the applicant’s review” – increasing the president’s breathing space. Ramaphosa insists the cash was from selling wildlife.
The injunction means the impeachment process can’t continue until the court’s ruling on the panel’s case is finished. The saga has exposed deeper governance issues amid a coalition‑led minority government.
To stay in the loop: BBCAfrica.com for bigger updates. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
