ConCourt set to deliver critical ruling in Phala Phala case on 8 May

Experts say President Cyril Ramaphosa should be held accountable for the theft at Phala Phala farm as he has failed to report the matter to the nearest police station. As the Constitutional Court is expected to deliver a judgment tomorrow in a landmark Phala Phala case involving President Cyril Ramaphosa, opposition parties and political experts have called for justice, saying the apex court will finally hold the president accountable. Political parties believe that the ConCourt ruling will repair the extensive reputational damage to government institutions that found themselves “scrambling to protect” Ramaphosa after the scandal broke into the public domain.

Tomorrow’s ruling is expected to make a determination on whether Parliament acted lawfully when it rejected a report recommending an impeachment inquiry into Ramaphosa. The dispute centres on a Section 89 independent panel chaired by retired chief justice Sandile Ngcobo. The panel concluded that there was sufficient evidence to justify Parliament considering the establishment of an impeachment inquiry against the president.

The findings relate to allegations involving the handling of foreign currency at Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala game farm in Limpopo. The panel examined claims that approximately R9.5 million in foreign currency was concealed in a sofa on the property and later stolen, along with questions about whether proper procedures were followed following the incident. The report concluded that the evidence presented was sufficient to warrant further scrutiny through a formal impeachment inquiry. That vote effectively halted the impeachment process before it could proceed to the inquiry stage.