South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa Faces Impeachment Threat Over Phala Phala Farmgate Scandal

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa faces the prospect of impeachment as Members of Parliament proceed with an inquiry into the “Farmgate” scandal, a controversy originating from a 2020 robbery at his private Phala Phala farm in Limpopo province.

Reports, which surfaced two years after the incident, claim thieves stole $580,000 in foreign currency allegedly stashed in a sofa. This revelation, brought to light by former intelligence chief Arthur Fraser, prompted accusations that Ramaphosa concealed the theft from authorities and violated exchange control laws.

Although the Reserve Bank found no exchange control violations and the Public Protector cleared the president of wrongdoing, an independent parliamentary panel previously concluded there was “substantial doubt about the legitimacy of the source of the currency” and that Ramaphosa “has a case to answer”. This led to a Supreme Court ruling last month, asserting that MPs had unconstitutionally blocked initial impeachment efforts.

Now, with Ramaphosa's African National Congress (ANC) no longer holding an outright parliamentary majority following the 2024 election, a committee of MPs has been formed to scrutinise the charges. This committee will recommend whether a formal impeachment vote should proceed, a process requiring a two-thirds majority in parliament to remove the president.

Ramaphosa has consistently denied wrongdoing, asserting the money derived from legitimate buffalo sales. He initially sought to set aside the independent panel's report, a legal challenge he has since revived, arguing the panel misinterpreted its mandate and the charges against him. This legal case is scheduled for September, and while Ramaphosa will not impede the committee's preparatory work, he intends to challenge any substantive proceedings during ongoing legal action.

Political analysts suggest that while the impeachment process may damage Ramaphosa’s credibility and the ANC's standing, a successful vote to remove him remains unlikely due to the party's parliamentary numbers. The ANC holds 159 seats in the National Assembly, requiring 133 votes to defeat an impeachment motion. Coalition partners, including the Democratic Alliance, have indicated the committee's work should continue, while others, like the Patriotic Alliance, have pledged support for Ramaphosa.