A South African court has granted President Cyril Ramaphosa a temporary stop to a parliamentary committee that could be heading toward an impeachment hearing. The decision comes over the lingering “Farmgate” scandal – a burglary on the president’s private ranch in 2020 that resulted in cash allegedly hidden in a sofa being stolen.
The president denies any involvement, but the scandal prompted an independent panel to recommend that he “may have a case to answer.” Parliament initially rejected setting up an impeachment inquiry, however the Constitutional Court later declared that suspension unlawful and permitted the committee to resume its inquiries.
To protect the president’s reputation, the high‑court judge Andre le Grange halted the committee’s hearings pending the outcome of a separate case Ramaphosa is filing. The legal team argues that without a verdict on the panel’s report, continuing the impeachment process would cause irreparable damage.
If the court’s order holds, the impeachment inquiry can only proceed after the other case reaches a decision – scheduled for September. The ruling offers the president a reprieve, while the opposition stalls the motion for now.
The saga began with a robbery of more than a half‑million US dollars, reportedly taken from the president’s basement and hidden in a sofa at the Phala Phala farm in Limpopo. The theft was revealed in 2022 when ex‑spymaster Arthur Fraser sent a dossier to the police. He alleged that the president had concealed the incident from authorities, raising concerns of violation of exchange‑control laws.
Ramaphosa, who acquired the money from the sale of cattle, has stated that it was lawful. The Constitutional Court’s May ruling paved the way for the parliamentary inquiry to be revived, even though the ANC no longer controls a majority following the 2024 election.
The court’s stay reflects the balance of power shifts in Parliament and is a key moment in a protracted political battle that could alter the presidency’s tenure.
