A South African high court has temporarily halted the impeachment proceedings against President Cyril Ramaphosa over an alleged $580,000 Farmgate scandal, granting an interim order that prevents Parliament from advancing the process pending the outcome of related legal challenges.
The Court issued an interim interdict suspending the parliamentary process while Ramaphosa pursues a separate court challenge against the findings of an independent panel that concluded there may be sufficient grounds for him to answer allegations arising from the scandal.
The ruling, on Friday, marks a significant legal reprieve for the South African president, who is seeking to overturn the panel’s report before Parliament considers whether impeachment proceedings should continue. By pausing the process, the court has effectively delayed any immediate move by lawmakers to determine Ramaphosa’s political future.
The controversy stems from the 2020 theft of about $580,000 in cash hidden inside a sofa at Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala game farm. The incident sparked widespread public scrutiny after questions emerged over why such a large sum of money was kept at the property and whether the theft was handled in accordance with the law.
Ramaphosa has consistently denied any wrongdoing, maintaining that the cash represented proceeds from the legitimate sale of buffaloes to a foreign buyer. Despite his explanation, the scandal has remained one of the most politically damaging episodes of his presidency, fuelling allegations of misconduct and prompting calls for greater accountability.
Although the impeachment process has been put on hold, political analysts believe Ramaphosa is unlikely to lose his position even if Parliament is eventually allowed to proceed. They point to his continued support within the governing African National Congress (ANC), which remains the largest party in Parliament and leads South Africa’s coalition government.
While the voting intentions of all coalition partners remain uncertain, analysts say some are expected to back Ramaphosa. The ANC is also widely regarded as having sufficient parliamentary strength to prevent the two-thirds majority required to remove the president from office, making his impeachment politically improbable even if the legal hurdles are cleared.