Africa

Supporters of South Africa’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party gathered outside the Constitutional Court in Johannesburg on Tuesday, November 26, to watch ongoing court proceedings on a big screen. At the center of the legal debate is a challenge by two opposition parties, calling for the revival of impeachment proceedings against President Cyril Ramaphosa over the Phala Phala scandal. The controversy stems from an alleged cover-up involving large sums of money—more than half a million dollars—in cash that was discovered at Ramaphosa’s private farm in 2022. The money had reportedly been stolen years earlier and kept hidden. The opposition parties, including the EFF, argue that Ramaphosa must be held accountable for the source of the money and that the African National Congress (ANC), using its parliamentary majority, shielded him from facing consequences. “All we want is for the president not to abuse his power, as former President Zuma did at his private residence,” said Thebe, a part-time supporter of the EFF. “We want Ramaphosa to explain where the money that was found at Phala Phala came from. The ANC always uses its majority in Parliament to protect its own.” The scandal emerged in 2022 when it was revealed that a large sum of cash, hidden on Ramaphosa’s farm, had been stolen in a burglary. Despite this, a vote in Parliament, where Ramaphosa’s party holds a dominant majority, blocked impeachment proceedings and effectively protected him from facing charges. EFF leader Julius Malema has called for a full parliamentary investigation into the matter. “We are here to hold the executive accountable,” Malema told the crowd outside the court. “The ANC came into court to defend corruption, to defend a man who has not disputed the fact that there was money at his farm.” Malema also expressed confidence in the EFF’s legal challenge, saying, “Comrades, we are going to win this case against Ramaphosa. And we’ll call him back to Parliament to start an impeachment process because the ANC used its majority in an unconstitutional manner.” The EFF and the African Transformation Movement (ATM) argue that Parliament failed to carry out its constitutional responsibility to hold the president accountable. However, Ramaphosa has been cleared of any wrongdoing by financial authorities, a public watchdog, and the police, after separate investigations. Reviving the impeachment process could be a high-risk move for Ramaphosa, who was re-elected in June for a second term with the support of coalition partners. While the EFF and ATM have been vocal in their calls for action, their smaller size means they would need support from other members of the ANC-led coalition to successfully push for impeachment, which many observers believe is unlikely. The Constitutional Court’s ruling on the matter is expected to take several weeks, or even months, as the legal process unfolds.