The Constitutional Court of South Africa announced on Thursday that it will hear a case next month regarding President Cyril Ramaphosa’s impeachment.
Two opposition parties, the Economic Freedom Fighters and the African Transformation Movement, are leading the case, seeking to revive impeachment proceedings over a cash scandal.
The scandal involves more than $580,000 in cash that was hidden in a couch at Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala game farm and subsequently stolen. In 2022, the African National Congress (ANC) blocked an impeachment vote despite an independent report questioning Ramaphosa’s conduct.
Since then, the ANC has formed a coalition with nine other parties, which has diminished some criticism against Ramaphosa. The opposition parties claim that Parliament did not adequately hold the president accountable for his actions.
The cash was reportedly stolen over two years ago, raising allegations of tax evasion and money laundering against Ramaphosa. He maintains that the funds were derived from legitimate sales at his ranch.
While the reserve bank and a public watchdog cleared Ramaphosa of wrongdoing, opposition parties continue to question these findings. Ramaphosa was reelected for a second term in June, relying on support from opposition lawmakers after the ANC lost its parliamentary majority.