Supporters of South Africa’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party gathered on Tuesday, November 26, outside the Constitutional Court in Johannesburg, watching proceedings on a large screen as opposition parties sought to revive impeachment efforts against President Cyril Ramaphosa.
The African Transformation Movement (ATM) and the EFF have petitioned the court to reopen impeachment proceedings related to the Phala Phala scandal.
“All we want is for the president not to abuse his power the same way [former President Jacob Zuma did]. We want Ramaphosa to explain where the money found at Phala Phala came from. The ANC (African National Congress) always uses its majority in Parliament to protect each other,” said Thebe, a supporter of the EFF.
The controversy erupted in 2022 when it emerged that more than half a million dollars in cash, hidden at one of Ramaphosa’s farms, had been stolen years earlier. The incident was kept secret, raising questions about its legality and the president’s transparency.
A parliamentary vote in which the ANC leveraged its majority prevented the impeachment proceedings from advancing.
EFF leader Julius Malema has been vocal in demanding further accountability, calling for a comprehensive parliamentary investigation. Speaking to a crowd in Johannesburg, Malema said, “We are here to hold the executive accountable. The ANC came inside court to defend corruption and a man who did not dispute that there was money at his farm.”
Malema also expressed confidence in the court case, adding, “We are going to win this case against [South African President Cyril] Ramaphosa. Once we do, we’ll bring him back to Parliament and restart the impeachment process because the ANC used its majority in an unconstitutional manner.”
The EFF and ATM argue that Parliament failed in its constitutional duty to hold the president accountable. However, financial regulators, a public watchdog, and the police cleared Ramaphosa of wrongdoing following a criminal investigation.
A revived impeachment process could present political risks for Ramaphosa, who secured a second term in June with the backing of coalition partners. Nonetheless, the EFF and ATM, being smaller parties, would need broader support from members of the ANC-led coalition government to succeed in an impeachment effort—an outcome considered improbable.
The Constitutional Court is expected to take weeks, if not months, to issue a ruling on the case.
(AP)
