By Odwa Mkentane
President Cyril Ramaphosa has approached the Western Cape High Court to try to stop Parliament’s Section 89 impeachment proceedings related to the Phala Phala scandal. He argues that the process should be paused until the court rules on the legality of an independent panel’s report. According to him, allowing the impeachment inquiry to continue before that ruling could cause him irreparable harm.
The impeachment committee is investigating whether Ramaphosa broke the Constitution or any laws in connection with the 2020 theft of US dollars from his Phala Phala farm in Limpopo.
Opposition parties, including the African Transformation Movement and the Economic Freedom Fighters, have said they will oppose Ramaphosa’s court application and want the impeachment process to continue.
The Phala Phala matter involves ongoing legal and parliamentary scrutiny over the theft of foreign currency from the president’s game farm, as well as questions about how the incident was handled.
Recently, the Constitutional Court revived aspects of the impeachment inquiry process, which prompted Ramaphosa to urgently turn to the High Court to try to pause the proceedings while he challenges the original findings of the independent panel.
Legal expert Mpumelelo Zikalala of Zikalala Attorneys suggested that Parliament could consider alternative ways of handling the matter, such as holding a dedicated debate instead of proceeding directly to impeachment. He argued that impeachment is a very serious and rigid process, and that other forums might allow the president to respond more openly and clear his name.
Photo: Vocfm
