S. African Court Orders Fresh Review of Blocked Impeachment Bid

(MENAFN) South Africa’s Constitutional Court has instructed lawmakers to reassess a previous parliamentary decision that prevented impeachment proceedings against President Cyril Ramaphosa over allegations linked to financial misconduct.

In its ruling on Friday, the court directed the National Assembly to reconsider whether its 2022 vote—rejecting a parliamentary inquiry report—was in line with constitutional requirements.

The case is tied to the Phala Phala controversy, which began with a 2020 burglary at Ramaphosa’s private game farm in Limpopo. The president has stated that approximately $580,000 in foreign currency, allegedly concealed in a sofa, was stolen during the incident. However, former intelligence chief Arthur Fraser has claimed the amount involved may have been closer to $4 million.

A parliamentary panel established under Section 89 previously found that there was prima facie evidence suggesting the president might have a case to answer, particularly regarding how the money was reported and handled. Despite this, the National Assembly voted in December 2022 not to adopt the panel’s findings, effectively stopping impeachment proceedings from advancing.

Opposition parties, including the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), challenged that decision in court, arguing that parliament failed to properly act on the panel’s conclusions. The Constitutional Court agreed that the vote to block further action did not comply with constitutional standards and should be set aside.

However, the court did not make any determination on the underlying allegations themselves, and the ruling does not result in the president’s removal from office.

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