South Africa's Ramaphosa faces impeachment risk over 'sofa cash' scandal

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has refused to resign after the Constitutional Court on May 8, 2026, reinstated impeachment proceedings against him related to the 'Farmgate' scandal, in which thieves stole more than $500,000 in cash hidden in a sofa at his farm.

In a televised address on the evening of May 11, Ramaphosa said nothing in the court's ruling forced him to step down. He asserted he had never stolen public funds, committed a crime, or violated his oath of office. He also rejected a 2022 report from an independent panel, calling the allegations based on hearsay and lacking evidence.

The case began in February 2020, when burglars broke into Ramaphosa's Phala Phala farm in Limpopo province and stole $580,000. The money was reportedly hidden in furniture at the farm. Ramaphosa is accused of covering up the theft and keeping secret efforts to find the culprits to avoid investigating the source of the funds.

In 2022, a former head of South Africa's state security agency reported to police, accusing the president of money laundering related to the stolen money. That same year, an independent parliamentary panel concluded Ramaphosa 'may have seriously violated' the constitution and 'acted in a manner inconsistent with his office,' particularly by not reporting the theft as required.

At the time, the African National Congress (ANC) held a commanding majority in parliament with 230 of 400 seats, so it rejected the report and refused to initiate impeachment proceedings. However, the left-wing Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party took the case to the Constitutional Court, which overturned the government's earlier ruling and referred the matter to a multi-party impeachment committee for a full investigation.

The impeachment committee will review the allegations and, if it finds sufficient evidence, may recommend impeaching the president. However, parliament has not yet set a timeline for the investigation, and Ramaphosa has pledged to seek a review of the report's contents, which could delay the process.

Under South Africa's constitution, if the president violates the constitution or the law, parliament has the power to remove him. The impeachment process requires at least 267 of 400 MPs to vote in favor. Currently, the ANC holds only 159 seats (about 40%), governing in coalition with the Democratic Alliance (87 seats) and other smaller parties.

Analyst Chris Ogunmodede said Ramaphosa is likely to survive impeachment efforts due to 'parliamentary arithmetic,' as coalition parties tend to favor stability. However, the 'sofa cash' scandal has deeply damaged the president's credibility, who came to power in 2018 on an anti-corruption platform after the controversial tenure of his predecessor Jacob Zuma.

In addition to impeachment procedures, parliament can also remove the president through a no-confidence vote requiring a simple majority. Two opposition parties have already proposed such a motion. If the ANC turns against him, similar to what happened with Zuma forced to resign in 2018, his fate could be sealed.

Under Ramaphosa, ANC support has continued to decline, from 57.5% in 2019 to 40.2% in 2024—the lowest since the end of apartheid. While the economy shows signs of improvement, long-term structural issues such as corruption, crime, and institutional instability remain major challenges.