Court Halts Ramaphosa Impeachment Process

​A South African court has granted President Cyril Ramaphosa’s application to temporarily halt parliamentary impeachment proceedings linked to the ongoing Phala Pahlacash scandal.

​Delivering the ruling at the Western Cape High Court, Judge Andre le Grange ordered that respondents be interdicted from proceeding with public impeachment hearings pending the determination of the president’s legal review. Ramaphosa is challenging a November 2022 independent panel report which concluded that he “may have committed” serious constitutional violations and misconduct.

​The controversy stems from a 2020 break-in and theft at the president’s luxury Phala Phala ranch in Limpopo Province. Ramaphosa has consistently denied any wrongdoing, maintaining that he properly reported the burglary to police and that the stashed foreign currency—widely reported as $580,000—originated from the sale of 20 buffaloes.

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​The initial impeachment push was thwarted when the National Assembly, where the governing African National Congress (ANC) held a majority, rejected the panel report. However, South Africa’s Constitutional Court overturned that parliamentary vote in May, paving the way for the creation of an impeachment committee. Separately, the National Prosecuting Authority dropped related criminal charges in 2024.

​Following Friday’s ruling, Ramaphosa reiterated his respect for judicial independence and the separation of powers, stating that he will continue to cooperate with accountability processes. The High Court is scheduled to hear the application to overturn the 2022 panel report in September.