Chief justice Mandisa Maya has moved to ease mounting political pressure over the Constitutional Court’s delayed Phala Phala judgment, assuring EFF leader Julius Malema that the ruling is at an advanced stage and will be delivered within a month.
In a formal response on Wednesday, the apex court acknowledged Malema’s complaint about delays in Economic Freedom Fighters v Speaker of the National Assembly and Others (CCT35/24), indicating that the long-awaited decision is now nearing completion.
“The preparation of the judgment is at an advanced stage and its delivery is expected within a month,” wrote chief registrar Simonné Laniqué Tjamela on behalf of chief justice Maya.
‘Unacceptable delay’
The letter confirms receipt of Julius Malema’s March 25 correspondence, in which he accused the court of an “unacceptable delay” in finalising the politically charged matter linked to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala scandal.
Malema had argued that the delay, stretching well beyond a year since the hearing in November 2024, breached judicial norms and raised serious constitutional concerns, particularly given that the case implicates the conduct of the head of state.
At the heart of the dispute is whether Parliament fulfilled its constitutional obligations in handling allegations surrounding foreign currency stolen from Ramaphosa’s Limpopo farm.
The Constitutional Court’s response marks the first official indication that the judgment is imminent after months of silence that drew increasing scrutiny from political actors and legal observers.
Spotlight on separation of powers
While the court did not directly address Malema’s criticism of judicial timelines, its assurance suggests that deliberations have progressed to the final stages, bringing an end to one of the most closely watched constitutional cases in recent years.
The matter carries significant implications for the separation of powers, testing whether Parliament exercised proper oversight over the president and whether its processes met constitutional muster.
With the court now signalling that its ruling is imminent, attention turns to what could be a defining judgment on executive accountability and the constitutional obligations of the highest office in the land.
- South Africa's Chief Justice Mandisa Maya assured EFF leader Julius Malema that the long-delayed Phala Phala Constitutional Court judgment is in its final stages and expected within a month.
- The Constitutional Court acknowledged Malema’s complaint about the delay in the case concerning President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala scandal.
- The case questions whether Parliament properly handled allegations related to stolen foreign currency from Ramaphosa’s Limpopo farm.
- The delay, exceeding a year since the November 2024 hearing, raised constitutional concerns due to the case's political sensitivity involving the president’s conduct.
- The upcoming ruling is significant for executive accountability and parliamentary oversight, with implications for the separation of powers in South Africa.
Chief justice
In a formal response on Wednesday, the apex court acknowledged Malema’s complaint about delays in Economic Freedom Fighters v Speaker of the National
“
Malema had argued that the delay, stretching well beyond a year since the hearing in
At the heart of the dispute is whether Parliament fulfilled its constitutional obligations in handling allegations surrounding foreign currency stolen from Ramaphosa’s Limpopo farm.
While the court did not directly address Malema’s criticism of judicial timelines, its assurance suggests that deliberations have progressed to the final stages, bringing an end to one of the most closely watched constitutional cases in recent years.
