South Africa Pauses Impeachment Process for President Ramaphosa

WHO:

ABC News - President Cyril Ramaphosa is involved in the impeachment proceedings.

ABC News - The impeachment committee includes representatives from all political parties in South Africa's Parliament.

WHAT:

Al Jazeera - The Western Cape High Court granted Ramaphosa an “interim interdict” that temporarily prevents the impeachment committee from proceeding with public hearings while the president challenges the legality of a 2022 report that found he “may have committed” serious violations and misconduct.

Al Jazeera - Judge Andre le Grange announced, “Pending the determination by this court of the applicant’s review … respondents are interdicted from proceeding with a public impeachment hearing.”

Al Jazeera - The ANC lost its majority in an election in May 2024, the most closely contested vote in South Africa's democracy.

BBC News - Ramaphosa's office stated he would “cooperate with and abide by processes of accountability” following the court's judgment.

BBC News - The president's legal challenge claims the impeachment panel had "misconceived its mandate, misjudged the information placed before it and misinterpreted the four charges advanced against me."

ABC News - The Western Cape High Court judgment does not stop the impeachment committee from doing other preparatory work for the pending proceedings.

AP News - The inquiry includes questions over whether the foreign currency was legally declared and why Ramaphosa did not immediately report the theft to the police.

ABC News - The so-called “Phala-Phala scandal” has been one of Ramaphosa's major political headaches since he became the country's leader in 2018.

AP News - The country’s Constitutional Court, the highest in the country, ruled earlier this year that the parliamentary report was valid and impeachment proceedings could proceed after the ANC had won a parliamentary vote to block it.

ABC News - A South African court ordered a halt to impeachment proceedings against President Cyril Ramaphosa.

ABC News - The impeachment proceedings were initiated in June after a parliamentary report concluded that Ramaphosa had a case to answer regarding the handling of a theft.

ABC News - The scandal involves over $580,000 in cash stolen from Ramaphosa's farm in 2020.

ABC News - Ramaphosa is challenging the parliamentary report in court and has applied for the impeachment proceedings to be halted until the review process is complete.

BBC News - The incident is referred to as the "Farmgate" scandal.

WHERE:

ABC News - The court ruling was made in the Western Cape High Court, South Africa.

ABC News - The theft occurred at Ramaphosa's private farm.

WHEN:

ABC News - The impeachment proceedings were started in June.

ABC News - The court judgment to halt the impeachment was issued on a Friday.

WHY:

ABC News - The impeachment proceedings were initiated due to a parliamentary report that raised questions about Ramaphosa's handling of the theft, including the large amounts of cash kept in a sofa and the source of the money.

HOW:

Al Jazeera - Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Vincent Magwenya stated, “[He] reaffirms his respect of judicial independence and separation of powers enshrined in our Constitution.”

ABC News - Ramaphosa's office stated he would “cooperate with and abide by processes of accountability” following the court's judgment.

(UPDATED July 25, 2026 02:49 UTC)

The Western Cape High Court has granted President Ramaphosa an interim interdict, which temporarily halts the impeachment committee from holding public hearings while he challenges the legality of a 2022 report that suggested he may have committed serious violations and misconduct. Judge Andre le Grange announced that the respondents are prohibited from proceeding with any public impeachment hearing until the court makes a determination on the matter. Ramaphosa's spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, emphasized that the president reaffirms his respect for judicial independence and the separation of powers outlined in the Constitution, following the ANC's loss of its majority in the closely contested May 2024 election.

(UPDATED July 24, 2026 17:26 UTC)

President Ramaphosa's office has announced that he will cooperate with and abide by processes of accountability following a recent court judgment. In his legal challenge, he argues that the impeachment panel misconceived its mandate, misjudged the information presented, and misinterpreted the four charges against him. This development marks a significant moment in the ongoing political landscape.

(UPDATED July 24, 2026 14:38 UTC)

The Western Cape High Court has ruled that the impeachment committee can continue its preparatory work, despite ongoing inquiries into the so-called “Phala-Phala scandal,” which has troubled President Ramaphosa since he took office in 2018. This inquiry is focused on whether foreign currency was legally declared and why Ramaphosa did not report the theft to the police right away. Following the court's judgment, Ramaphosa's office has expressed a commitment to cooperate with and abide by processes of accountability.

(UPDATED July 24, 2026 13:30 UTC)

President Cyril Ramaphosa is currently facing impeachment proceedings that were initiated in June, following a parliamentary report questioning his handling of a theft involving over $580,000 in cash from his private farm, an incident now known as the "Farmgate" scandal. However, a South African court has ordered a halt to these proceedings, with the ruling issued by the Western Cape High Court, while Ramaphosa challenges the parliamentary report and seeks to pause the impeachment process until the review is complete. The impeachment committee consists of representatives from all political parties in South Africa's Parliament, and Ramaphosa's office has stated that he will cooperate with and abide by processes of accountability in light of the court's judgment.