In brief
A Constitutional Court ruling granted President Cyril Ramaphosa a temporary halt to the parliamentary investigation into the “Farmgate” theft, a costly robbery at his private farm in 2020. The president’s legal challenge contests the independent panel’s findings that could lead to impeachment, arguing misjudgment of evidence and mandate. The injunction delays proceedings until Ramaphosa’s separate June case is decided, potentially allowing him to clear his name. Meanwhile, opposition parties accuse the president of politicising the courts, while the ANC defends the decision as a defensive move against politically motivated attacks.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has secured a temporary injunction from the Constitutional Court that halts the parliamentary inquiry into the so‑called “Farmgate” scandal, a theft that unfolded at his private farm in Phala Phala in 2020.
In 2022 an independent panel concluded that Ramaphosa might face an impeachment case after burglars stole an estimated US$580,000 in cash hidden inside a sofa. The president denied any wrongdoing and, when parliament voted against establishing the inquiry, the Constitutional Court later ruled that the shelving of the panel’s report had been unlawful.
The court’s May ruling opened the door for the impeachment process, but the president has now taken the matter to a separate trial set for September, arguing that the panel misinterpreted its mandate and the evidence presented to it.
The injunction means the parliamentary committee cannot proceed with hearings until Ramaphosa’s case is resolved, giving him time to contest the findings and potentially exonerate himself. Critics, however, see the move as a strategic use of the courts to interfere with a legitimate political probe. Opposition parties like the Democratic Alliance and uMkhonto weSizwe have called the decision “unanticipated” and "politically motivated," whereas the ANC praised the ruling and urged the media to avoid sensationalism.
As South Africa's coalition government has further lost parliamentary majority since the 2024 elections, the outcome could signal a turning point in the country’s political landscape, shaping whether the president remains in office.
