Siyabonga Sithole|Updated16 minutes agoChief Justice promises expedited judgment on Phala Phala farm scandal amid political tensions

Chief Justice Mandisa Maya has received criticism over her alleged delay in delivering the Phala Phala farm judgment. Chief Justice Mandisa Maya has promised to expedite the delivery of the much-anticipated judgment on the Phala Phala farm matter. This comes as the Chief Justice received widespread criticism from the EFF and the African Transformation Movement (ATM) over her failure to deliver the judgment, more than 12 months after the matter was concluded at the Constitutional Court.

On Wednesday, members of the EFF staged a picket outside the Constitutional Court, highlighting their frustration over the protracted judgment process. This marked a significant escalation in the EFF’s protests aimed at compelling the highest court in the land to rule on the matter that has stirred considerable public debate and political controversy. In 2025, the EFF had approached the apex court following Parliament’s dismissal of a report indicating that President Cyril Ramaphosa may have breached his oath of office.

The report raised alarm over the president’s conduct regarding a 2020 theft incident, in which over $580,000 were stolen from his Phala Phala farm in Limpopo. Members of the EFF took to the streets of Braamfontein and picketed outside the Constitutional Court on Wednesday. The EFF contended that Parliament’s refusal to adopt the report, which suggested potential misconduct by the president, was irrational and unconstitutional and took the matter all the way to the apex court in 2024. During Wednesday’s media briefing, EFF leader Julius Malema revealed that his party has ramped up its political campaign regarding the contentious Phala Phala farm saga, asserting it as a leading issue for the party as it heads to the upcoming 2026 local government elections.