S. African parliament's rejection of report regarding Ramaphosa ruled unconstitutional

People attend a rally against South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in Johannesburg, South Africa, May 8, 2026. South Africa's Constitutional Court on Friday ruled that the country's parliament acted unconstitutionally when it rejected an independent panel report on the Phala Phala matter involving President Cyril Ramaphosa, reopening the possibility of impeachment proceedings against the head of state. (Photo by James Blackmore/Xinhua)

JOHANNESBURG, May 8 (Xinhua) -- South Africa's Constitutional Court on Friday ruled that the country's parliament acted unconstitutionally when it rejected an independent panel report on the Phala Phala matter involving President Cyril Ramaphosa, reopening the possibility of impeachment proceedings against the head of state.

In its judgment, the country's highest court declared invalid the National Assembly's 2022 decision to halt further inquiry into allegations surrounding the theft of large sums of foreign currency from Ramaphosa's Phala Phala game farm. The court also ordered that the independent panel's report be referred back to parliament's impeachment committee for further consideration.

Speaking at Constitutional Hill in Johannesburg's Braamfontein, South African Chief Justice Mandisa Maya said "it is declared that the vote of the National Assembly taken on Dec. 13, 2022, declining to refer the report of the independent panel to an impeachment committee as envisaged in the National Assembly rules, is inconsistent with the Constitution, invalid and it is set aside."

The case was brought by opposition parties, including the Economic Freedom Fighters and the African Transformation Movement, which challenged the National Assembly's refusal to advance the impeachment process.

The independent panel, chaired by former Constitutional Court judge Sandile Ngcobo, found prima facie evidence suggesting possible constitutional and legal violations by the president in relation to the Phala Phala incident.

The matter relates to the alleged theft of about 580,000 U.S. dollars from Ramaphosa's private game farm in Limpopo Province in 2020, which later sparked public controversy over whether the funds were properly declared and reported to authorities.

The panel recommended further investigation into possible breaches of the Constitution and the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act, including issues related to undeclared foreign currency and reporting obligations.

In response to the Constitutional Court's ruling, the South African Presidency issued a statement, saying that Ramaphosa respects the judgment and reaffirms his commitment to the Constitution, the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law.