JOHANNESBURG — South African President Cyril Ramaphosa emerged victorious in a court battle on Friday, successfully halting a parliamentary effort to impeach him over allegations connected to the so-called “Farmgate” scandal.
The Western Cape High Court issued what is known as an “interim interdict,” a temporary legal order that puts the impeachment proceedings on hold while the matter is further resolved in the courts.
The ruling comes as Ramaphosa also awaits a decision in a separate legal challenge targeting the findings of an independent panel, which concluded he may have misconduct questions to answer. At the heart of the controversy is a 2020 incident in which large amounts of cash were stolen from a couch inside his private ranch.
Ramaphosa has repeatedly insisted he did nothing wrong, stating that the $580,000 taken was money earned from the sale of buffaloes. Nevertheless, the episode has proven deeply embarrassing for the president, with many questioning why such a substantial amount of money was hidden inside furniture on his property.
Despite the ongoing legal battles, political analysts believe Ramaphosa is likely to hold onto his position — even if the impeachment process eventually moves forward and results in a formal removal vote.
The president continues to have the support of his African National Congress party, the largest in the country and the lead party in the current coalition government. While it remains uncertain how all of the ANC’s coalition partners would cast their votes in any impeachment proceeding, some are expected to side with Ramaphosa. The ANC alone holds enough seats to prevent the president from being removed from office.
