South African court pauses impeachment inquiry into President Ramaphosa’s ‘Farmgate’ scandal
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has secured a temporary legal reprieve after a court granted an order halting a parliamentary inquiry into misconduct allegations surrounding his controversial “Farmgate” scandal.
The ruling grants the 73-year-old leader a breathing room until early September, when he is scheduled to return to court in a bid to permanently overturn a panel report that concluded he may have violated the country’s constitution.
The Farmgate scandal stems from a 2020 theft at Ramaphosa’s private game ranch, where thieves allegedly stole bundles of foreign currency stashed inside a sofa. Ramaphosa has consistently denied any wrongdoing, maintaining that the $580,000 in cash was legitimately obtained from the sale of buffaloes.
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However, the revelation raised widespread public concern over why such a large sum of unregistered cash was hidden in furniture, damaging Ramaphosa’s reputation as a champion against official corruption—a platform on which he assumed office in 2018.
Despite the ongoing legal and political pressure, political analysts expect Ramaphosa to remain in power even if the impeachment inquiry eventually resumes and reaches a parliamentary vote.
Ramaphosa retains strong backing from his ruling African National Congress (ANC), which leads South Africa’s coalition government. While it remains uncertain how all coalition allies might vote, the ANC holds sufficient parliamentary seats to block his removal, with additional support expected from key partners.
Reacting to the court ruling, the Democratic Alliance (DA)—the ANC’s primary coalition partner—urged a swift judicial resolution to the matter.
“South Africans are entitled to answers, and to know that the same standards of accountability apply to every person who holds public office,” the DA said in a statement on Friday.
In response, the presidency noted the court’s interim decision, reiterating Ramaphosa’s commitment to cooperating with constitutional accountability processes.
Ramaphosa, who began his second presidential term following recent elections, is slated to remain in office until 2029.
