South Africa's Constitutional Court has announced that it will be hearing a case next month brought by two opposition parties seeking to revive impeachment proceedings against President Cyril Ramaphosa. The case revolves around a scandal involving over $500,000 in cash that was hidden in a couch at his ranch and subsequently stolen.
In 2022, Ramaphosa managed to avoid an impeachment vote when his party, the African National Congress, utilized its parliamentary majority to block a motion despite an independent report raising concerns about his conduct and recommending a thorough investigation.
Following the scandal, the ANC formed a coalition with nine other parties to govern South Africa, which helped alleviate some of the criticism directed at Ramaphosa. However, two parties not part of the unity government, the Economic Freedom Fighters and the African Transformation Movement, have taken the matter to the country's highest court, arguing that Parliament failed to fulfill its constitutional duty in holding the president accountable.
The scandal came to light in June 2022 and posed a significant challenge to Ramaphosa's leadership. It was revealed that more than $580,000 in U.S. banknotes had been hidden in a couch at his Phala Phala game farm and stolen over two years prior, with the incident being kept under wraps.
Opposition parties accused Ramaphosa of tax evasion, money laundering, and violating foreign currency laws. The president denied any wrongdoing, claiming that the money stemmed from legitimate animal sales at the ranch, though he did not provide a clear explanation for why it was concealed in furniture.
Questions were also raised about whether the theft had been properly reported to the police. Ramaphosa stated that he had informed the head of his police security detail, but he faced allegations of trying to cover up the theft and the existence of the money.
Ramaphosa was subsequently cleared of any misconduct by the reserve bank and a public watchdog, although some opposition parties contested these decisions.
In June, Ramaphosa, aged 71, secured a second term in office with the support of opposition lawmakers after the ANC lost its parliamentary majority for the first time since the end of apartheid in 1994.
