South Africa: Impeachment Committee Vows to Fight Ramaphosa's Court Bid to Block Its Work

A legal showdown looms that will decide whether President Cyril Ramaphosa is able to delay his impeachment hearing, possibly for years.

Parliament's impeachment committee has resolved to oppose President Cyril Ramaphosa's urgent interdict application to halt its work while he challenges the report that found he has a case to answer regarding the Phala Phala saga.

The committee will join the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and African Transformation Movement (ATM), which have already indicated they will oppose Ramaphosa's application. The committee will also lobby Speaker Thoko Didiza to oppose the interdict.

The interdict case will essentially determine whether Ramaphosa can delay his impeachment hearing, possibly for years if appeals are considered, and avoid tough and potentially embarrassing and damaging questions regarding his response to the theft of at least $580,000 from his Phala Phala farm in 2020.

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'Irreparable damage'

On 12 June, Ramaphosa filed his urgent application in the Western Cape High Court seeking an interdict to stop the impeachment committee from conducting any work until his review application of Parliament's Section 89 panel's findings is finalised.

In November 2022, the panel found prima facie evidence that Ramaphosa may have violated the Constitution and committed serious misconduct, saying there was a deliberate intention not to investigate the theft openly.

The ANC used its majority in Parliament at the time to...