ANC’s GNU partners challenged to use their ‘conscience’ following Phala Phala ruling

EFF members picket outside the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) in Braamfontein, Johannesburg on 8 April 2026. Picture: Gallo Images/Lubabalo Lesolle Opposition parties in parliament have challenged parties in the government of national unity GNU) to choose South Africa over the perks they have gained since joining the Cabinet. This follows the Constitutional Court’s critical judgment on the impeachment process that President Cyril Ramaphosa has been trying to avoid for years.

On Friday, theConstitutional Court ruled that parliament acted unconstitutionally and irrationallyby voting against adopting the Section 89 independent panel report into the alleged robbery at Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm in 2020. The court set aside parliament’s vote, which shielded the president from impeachment proceedings. Speaking outside court, EFF leader Julius Malema said now that the ANC has lost its majority in parliament and now relies on support from other parties, parliamentarians must use their conscience to hold the president to account.

“People used their majority to become unreasonable, and that is why we are saying every decision must meet the rationality test. “The independent panel had told them that there isprima facieevidence here, and they used their majority to suppress corruption. They must be ashamed of themselves.

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“Let’s see the hand of the DA; they were with us when we were saying let’s impeach. Now that they are eating apples and bananas, let’s see if they will be able to talk with a full mouth,” he said. ActionSA national chairperson Michael Beaumont told the media outside court that several government institutions have bent over backwards to shield Ramaphosa from accountability.

He said parliament had also done the same. “We look forward to this issue returning to parliament, and where the ANC no longer enjoys the majority, thanks to the South African people, and they will no longer be able to protect the president at all costs. We are going to work with other opposition parties to ensure that we hold them accountable, and we appeal to those parties in the GNU to find their principles again, which they used to have before going into government. “The GNU is 70% of the South African parliament, so if the GNU is going to choose the blue lights and the perks of government over the constitution, it will be very clear that this process will not see any accountability,” he said.

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