South Africa’s Constitutional Court has granted President Cyril Ramaphosa a temporary halt to a parliamentary impeachment inquiry associated with the so‑called “Farmgate” scandal.
The decision comes after a 2022 independent panel suggested the president might need to answer to parliament following a burglary at his Phala Phala farm in Limpopo that exposed almost $580,000 in U.S. dollars hidden in a sofa. Ramaphosa has consistently denied any wrongdoing and claims the money came from the sale of buffalo.
At its launch, MPs voted against establishing the inquiry, but a May ruling by the Constitutional Court declared the shelving of the panel’s report unlawful, opening the door for a formal impeachment process. In response, Ramaphosa has taken a separate legal action to challenge the panel’s findings, arguing it misinterpreted evidence and exceeded its mandate.
Western Cape High Court Judge Andre le Grange issued the halt on Friday, stating the committee must await the outcome of Ramaphosa’s review case. The ruling essentially freezes the impeachment hearings until the court resolves the president’s counter‑claim in September.
The fallout from the burglary, first revealed two years after the incident when former spy chief Arthur Fraser blew the whistle on the theft, has sparked intense debate over state secrecy, exchange‑control violations, and political accountability.
Ramaphosa’s statement following the ruling acknowledged the court’s decision and pledged to work towards clearing his name, while political analysts warn that the delayed inquiry may stall necessary oversight.
