A South African court has ordered a halt to impeachment proceedings against President Cyril Ramaphosa concerning a scandal involving over $580,000 in cash stolen from his farm in 2020. The Western Cape High Court issued the judgment on Friday, though it does not prevent the impeachment committee from continuing with other preparatory work for the potential proceedings.
Lawmakers had initiated impeachment proceedings in June, following a parliamentary report that concluded the president had a case to answer regarding his handling of the theft, including why a significant sum of cash was kept at his farm. The inquiry also seeks to address questions about the origin of the money, whether it was legally declared as foreign currency, and why the theft was not immediately reported to the police.
Ramaphosa is contesting the parliamentary report in court and had requested a stay of the impeachment proceedings until the review of the report is finalized. His office stated that the president welcomed Friday's ruling and would "cooperate with and abide by processes of accountability." The statement also emphasized the president's "respect of judicial independence and separation of powers enshrined in our Constitution."
The scandal, dubbed the “Phala-Phala scandal,” has been a significant political challenge for Ramaphosa since he assumed leadership in 2018. Earlier this year, the nation's Constitutional Court, its highest court, ruled that the parliamentary report was valid and that impeachment proceedings could move forward after the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party won a vote in Parliament to block them.
The impeachment committee comprises representatives from all political parties within South Africa's Parliament. Following the court's decision, most parties indicated they would review the judgment and consider an appeal.