Court stops impeachment hearing against South Africa president Ramaphosa over $580,000 scandal

A South African court has temporarily halted impeachment proceedings against President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is embroiled in a scandal concerning a large sum of money allegedly stolen from his private ranch. The Western Cape High Court ruled in favor of Ramaphosa's request to pause the parliamentary impeachment committee's work pending his review of a November 2022 report.

This report had indicated that the president "may have committed" serious violations and misconduct related to the incident. Ramaphosa has consistently denied any wrongdoing, asserting that the undeclared foreign currency, reportedly stolen in 2020, came from the sale of buffaloes. He maintains he reported the break-in to the police and has ruled out resigning over the matter.

The court's decision, announced by Judge Andre le Grange, interdicts the respondents from proceeding with a public impeachment hearing until the court determines Ramaphosa's review of the initial report. The scandal centers on accusations that Ramaphosa concealed a 2020 robbery of $580,000 at his Phala Phala farmhouse in Limpopo province from police and tax authorities.

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Pending the determination by this court of the applicant’s review… respondents are interdicted from proceeding with a public impeachment hearing.

Ramaphosa stated after the ruling that he "reaffirms his respect of judicial independence and separation of powers enshrined in our Constitution" and will continue to cooperate with accountability processes. This case marks a potential first for a sitting South African president facing impeachment.

The court is scheduled to hear Ramaphosa's full bid to overturn the 2022 independent panel report in September. While a previous vote in the National Assembly, where his party held a majority, had quashed earlier impeachment efforts, the Constitutional Court overturned that decision in May, leading to the establishment of the current parliamentary committee. The public prosecutor had previously dropped charges in 2024.

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The President will continue to cooperate with and abide by processes of accountability.