The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), a leading South African opposition party, has taken its bid to revive impeachment proceedings against President Cyril Ramaphosa to the Constitutional Court. The case, heard on Tuesday, seeks to challenge the National Assembly’s dismissal of allegations tied to the so-called “Farmgate” scandal.
The controversy revolves around claims of millions of dollars allegedly concealed in furniture on Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala game farm. The alleged theft came to light when a former intelligence official reported the incident to police. An independent panel’s report had earlier suggested that Ramaphosa may have engaged in misconduct regarding the matter.
However, in late 2022, lawmakers from the African National Congress (ANC), Ramaphosa’s party, used their majority in the National Assembly to block the report’s recommendations and prevent the formation of an impeachment committee to investigate further. The EFF now contends that this decision was unlawful and failed to hold the president accountable.
President Ramaphosa and the ANC maintain that the report lacked concrete evidence and relied heavily on hearsay, as stated in a case summary released by the Constitutional Court. Ramaphosa, who denies any wrongdoing, has not faced any criminal charges related to the incident.
Tuesday marked the first day of hearings on the matter. Meanwhile, the ANC, which lost its parliamentary majority in a May election, continues to govern in coalition with smaller parties.
