Written by: Badr Ahmed

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has filed an urgent application with the High Court in an attempt to halt parliamentary proceedings aimed at investigating allegations related to the Farmgate scandal, one of the most controversial issues of his presidency.

South African president requests suspension of impeachment proceedings

According to court documents, Ramaphosa is seeking to suspend the parliamentary impeachment process pending a court ruling on a separate request he filed to overturn the findings of an independent commission that had previously concluded there were indications of misconduct related to the case.

The case dates back to 2020, when the president's ranch was targeted in a robbery where a large sum of money was hidden inside a sofa. Ramaphosa said that approximately $580,000 was stolen from the ranch, explaining that the money represented the proceeds from the sale of several buffalo.

However, the incident raised widespread questions within South African political and legal circles about why such a large sum of cash was kept inside household furniture, and whether the funds had been declared in accordance with applicable regulations. The president, for his part, has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing or violation of the law.

South Africa’s Constitutional Court last month revived impeachment proceedings against Ramaphosa, ruling that the parliamentary vote that halted the process in 2022 was illegal and invalid, thus reopening the parliamentary process for investigating the case.

The Supreme Court is scheduled to consider the lawsuit filed by the president challenging the findings of the investigation committee between September 2 and 4, which could be a crucial turning point in the future of the case.

Ramaphosa, 73, has been president of South Africa since 2018, and his second presidential term is expected to last until 2029.

Although the Farmgate scandal has damaged the image of the president, who came to power promising to fight corruption and repair the reputation of the ruling African National Congress party, a number of political analysts believe that the chances of his removal are still limited, predicting that he will survive any potential parliamentary vote on his dismissal.