President Cyril Ramaphosa wants the parliamentary committee re-established to resume the Section 89 process linked to the theft of foreign currency on his Phala Phala farm to be halted, in an urgent application to the Western Cape High Court.
The committee is tasked with investigating the burglary at the farm as well as determining whether grounds exist for an impeachment process.
According to court papers, Ramaphosa wants the high court to first make a decision on a separate application he made to set aside an independent panel’s misconduct findings over the scandal, in which bundles of cash were stolen from a sofa on his farm in 2020.
The court challenge against the independent panel report, which found preliminary evidence that he committed misconduct, is set to be heard between September 2 and 4. In court papers, Ramaphosa argued that the 2022 report was “seriously flawed” and should be set aside as the panel misunderstood its mandate and relied on hearsay evidence.
A wealthy businessman before he became president, Ramaphosa said the money was proceeds from the sale of buffaloes, and a central bank investigation found he had not contravened exchange control regulations.
Last month, a constitutional court judgment revived impeachment proceedings against Ramaphosa, finding that a parliamentary vote to stop the process in 2022 was invalid.
The scandal has been a major embarrassment for Ramaphosa, who came to power on a pledge to fight corruption and clean up the image of his African National Congress party.
In 2022, ANC legislators blocked impeachment proceedings against Ramaphosa, but earlier this month the constitutional court said the parliamentary vote was invalid and that the allegations should be probed further.
The ANC, DA, Patriotic Alliance, Inkatha Freedom Party, FF Plus, Rise Mzansi, and Al Jamaah all supported Rise Mzansi’s Magashule Gana’s appointment to lead the committee two weeks ago. – Reuters
- President Cyril Ramaphosa has filed an urgent application to the Western Cape High Court to halt the parliamentary committee's re-establishment for investigating the foreign currency theft on his Phala Phala farm and related impeachment process under Section 89.
- The committee's role includes probing the burglary and determining if there are grounds to impeach Ramaphosa over the 2020 theft.
- Ramaphosa seeks a court decision first on his separate challenge to set aside an independent panel’s 2022 misconduct findings, arguing the report was flawed, misunderstood the mandate, and relied on hearsay.
- The stolen money, reportedly proceeds from buffalo sales, was cleared by a central bank investigation as compliant with exchange control regulations.
- A constitutional court ruling recently invalidated the 2022 parliamentary vote that stopped impeachment proceedings, reviving the process and leading to the appointment of a new committee chair supported by multiple political parties.
