In a major legal setback for South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, the Constitutional Court ruled that Parliament must revive impeachment proceedings linked to the “Farmgate” scandal. While some have called on Ramaphosa to resign over the judgment, the president announced on Monday evening that he has no intention of doing so. Instead, Ramaphosa plans to contest the findings of the report in court, citing what he describes as a misconception of its scope. The case stems from the theft of $580,000 hidden in a couch on Ramaphosa’s game farm in 2020. The court unanimously found that the 2022 National Assembly vote—which used an ANC majority to quash an independent panel’s recommendation to investigate the president—stifled informed debate. The panel had questioned Ramaphosa’s handling of the incident, finding that he abused his power by seeking the assistance of former President Hage Geingob of Namibia, where the thieves were believed to have fled. The panel had also suggested that Ramaphosa breached foreign currency regulations and violated the constitution by conducting private business that clashed with his duties as president.
The New York Times
