Ramaphosa facing impeachment inquiry

President Cyril Ramaphosa faces a revived impeachment inquiry following a landmark Constitutional Court ruling on May 8, 2026, which invalidated Parliament’s 2022 vote blocking proceedings over the Phala Phala scandal.

In February 2020, thieves broke into Ramaphosa’s luxury Phala Phala game farm in Limpopo, stealing around $580,000 (R4 million) in foreign currency hidden inside sofa cushions. Ramaphosa delayed reporting to police for months, allegedly using a private security team for an off-books investigation that recovered the cash via Sudanese intermediaries. Critics accused him of money laundering, corruption, and obstructing justice, questioning the cash’s undeclared source – possibly from a Sudanese businessman deal.

In November 2022, Parliament’s Section 89 Independent Panel, chaired by former Chief Justice Sandile Ngcobo, found prima facie evidence of serious misconduct warranting impeachment under Section 89 of the Constitution. On December 13, 2022, the ANC-majority National Assembly voted 214-148 to reject the panel’s report, halting further inquiry. Opposition parties EFF and ATM challenged this as unconstitutional, arguing Parliament must refer prima facie findings to an impeachment committee without a substantive vote.

Ramaphosa was cleared by the Public Protector in 2023 (no improper conduct), the South African Reserve Bank (no exchange control violations), SARS (no tax issues), and the NPA dropped criminal charges in October 2024. However, a declassified IPID report recently recommended discipline against police for mishandling the case. The opposition’s appeal reached the Constitutional Court, which heard arguments culminating in the May 8 ruling.

Chief Justice Mandisa Maya declared the 2022 National Assembly vote “inconsistent with the Constitution, invalid, and set aside.” The unanimous decision ordered Parliament to refer the Ngcobo panel’s report to an ad hoc impeachment committee for evidence evaluation and hearings. The court emphasized that dismissing the panel without scrutiny “stifled informed debate and compromised accountability.” This revives the process but doesn’t rule on Ramaphosa’s guilt.

The Speaker must convene the impeachment committee promptly, likely within weeks, to probe allegations and summon witnesses like farm manager Sudanese national. The committee will deliberate over months, potentially recommending full impeachment to the National Assembly, requiring a two-thirds majority (267 votes) for removal – unlikely given ANC’s 159 seats post-2024 coalition government. Ramaphosa can respond and appeal committee findings.

The ruling emboldens opposition like EFF leader Julius Malema, who hailed it as a victory for constitutionalism, vowing rigorous scrutiny. ANC dismissed it as procedural, insisting prior clearances vindicate Ramaphosa, and plans to defend vigorously. Amid GNU tensions with DA, it risks destabilizing Ramaphosa’s leadership ahead of 2027 ANC elective conference. Public sentiment splits: supporters see witch-hunt, critics demand transparency on “couch cash.”

This echoes Zuma’s 2018 impeachment but hinges on Phala Phala’s unresolved questions despite clearances. Ramaphosa, president since 2018, navigated state capture but now battles this legacy issue. The inquiry could drag into late 2026, testing institutions amid economic woes. Legal expert Tembeka Ngcukaitobi noted it upholds Parliament’s oversight duty.