South Africa's Top Court Reopens Impeachment Proceedings Against President
Al Jazeera Staff
South Africa's Constitutional Court has ruled that parliament violated the constitution by blocking an investigation into President Cyril Ramaphosa over the "Farmgate" scandal, reopening the path to impeachment. The court voided a December 2022 vote and ordered the case sent to the impeachment committee, though removing Ramaphosa still requires a two-thirds parliamentary majority.
South Africa's Constitutional Court ruled on February 13 that parliament violated the constitution when it rejected a motion in December 2022 to establish a committee to investigate President Cyril Ramaphosa, reopening the path to impeachment proceedings.
The scandal, known as "Farmgate," began in 2020 when a large amount of foreign currency was stolen from Ramaphosa's farm. Former State Security Agency director Arthur Fraser accused the president of covering up the incident, claiming up to $4 million was taken. Ramaphosa denied this, insisting only $580,000 was stolen, proceeds from the sale of buffalo at the farm.
Chief Justice Mandisa Maya stated: "The parliamentary vote of December 13, 2022 was inconsistent with the constitution, invalid, and set aside." The court ordered the report of an independent panel to be sent to the impeachment committee.
The case was brought by two opposition parties, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and the African Transformation Movement (ATM). The EFF has called on Ramaphosa, in power since 2018, to resign. However, the presidency said he respects the court ruling and affirmed that no one is above the law.
The impeachment committee is expected to review evidence over several months before deciding whether to proceed with a formal vote. Even if the committee recommends impeachment, the president could survive as a two-thirds majority in the lower house is needed to remove him. Ramaphosa's African National Congress (ANC) still holds more than one-third of the seats, though it lost its outright majority in 2024.
