‘This is evasion’: Opposition parties express disappointment as court halts Ramaphosa’s impeachment proceedings

Judge André le Grange delivered judgment in President Cyril Ramaphosa’s urgent application to halt Parliament’s Section 89 impeachment inquiry into the Phala Phala matter. President Cyril Ramaphosa and the ANC welcomed the Western Cape High Court’s decision to halt the proceedings of the Impeachment Committee pending the review application to the disappointment of the opposition parties. Deliveringthe judgmenton Friday, Judge André le Grange said the court carefully considered the weighty arguments advanced by the parties in the limited time available in the urgent application.

“Pending the determination by this court of the applicant’s review, the first and second respondents are interdicted from proceeding with public impeachment hearings in terms of the National Assembly rules,” he said. The Presidency said Ramaphosa noted the granting of the urgent application to temporarily interdict and pause Section 89 impeachment proceedings by Parliament. “The president reaffirms his respect for judicial independence and separation of powers enshrined in our Constitution.

The president will continue to cooperate with and abide by processes of accountability,” spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said. The ANC said the judgment affirmed that every person, including Ramaphosa, was entitled to approach the courts to protect their constitutional rights and ensure that public processes are lawful, rational, and procedurally fair.