South Africa’s Parliament Schedules First Ramaphosa Impeachment Hearing for Monday
South Africa’s National Assembly has scheduled the first meeting of its 31-member impeachment committee for Monday, June 2, to begin examining misconduct allegations against President Cyril Ramaphosa over the “Farmgate” scandal, the Democratic Alliance party said on Thursday, May 28. The announcement comes as Ramaphosa simultaneously pursues a legal challenge in the Western Cape High Court that could delay or derail the parliamentary process entirely. A parliament spokesperson and Ramaphosa’s spokesperson both declined to comment, Reuters reported.
Secretary to the National Assembly Masibulelele Xaso made the announcement on Thursday morning during a meeting of the National Assembly’s Programme Committee. In accordance with House rules, a committee must hold its first meeting within five working days of being established. EWN
“The good thing is that parliament seems to be moving forward,” said Democratic Alliance parliamentary leader George Michalakis. CNBC Africa
The Farmgate affair dates to February 2020, when an estimated $580,000 in United States dollars — stuffed inside furniture at Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala game farm in Limpopo — was stolen. The case raised persistent questions over the origin of the money and why it was concealed. Ramaphosa has consistently denied wrongdoing, maintaining that the cash came from the legitimate sale of buffalo livestock and saying the theft was reported to the head of his security team. Nehanda RadioNehanda Radio
The impeachment process was effectively halted in December 2022, when the National Assembly voted 214 to 148 against referring the independent panel report to a full impeachment committee — a vote driven by ANC bloc support for the president. That outcome has now been overturned.
On May 8, the Constitutional Court found that Rule 129I of the National Assembly Rules, which determines the consideration and referral of a report regarding the removal or impeachment of a president, was unconstitutional, and set it aside. The apex court also set aside the National Assembly vote of December 13, 2022, in which it declined to refer the Section 89 independent panel report into Ramaphosa’s conduct over Phala Phala to an impeachment committee. Daily Maverick
Following the ruling, Ramaphosa on May 11 addressed the nation, saying that he accepted and respected the ruling, reaffirming his firm commitment to the constitution, the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law, while denying wrongdoing. “Since a criminal complaint was laid against me in June 2022, I have consistently maintained that I have not stolen public money, committed any crime, nor violated my oath of office,” he said. Xinhua
That conciliatory posture, however, has been accompanied by legal action. President Ramaphosa filed a 63-page application in the Western Cape High Court on Tuesday, May 26, to review the Section 89 Independent Panel Report — the document that forms the basis of the National Assembly’s impeachment process. The filing also seeks to nullify “the steps taken pursuant to the Report”, including processes now under way in Parliament. Ramaphosa called on parliament “to show cause why the Report and the steps taken pursuant to the Report should not be reviewed and set aside” and to provide the record of proceedings within 15 days. The Citizen + 2
The dual-track strategy — accepting the Constitutional Court ruling publicly while challenging its foundation in a separate court — has drawn attention from legal analysts who say the high court application could stall the committee before it properly begins its work. A parliament spokesperson and Ramaphosa’s spokesperson declined comment on whether the legal challenge might delay the impeachment proceedings. CNBC Africa
Committee Composition
The 31-member committee comprises members nominated by 16 political parties in proportion to their parliamentary representation. The ANC holds nine seats on the committee, followed by the Democratic Alliance with five, the uMkhonto weSizwe Party with three, and the Economic Freedom Fighters with two. Xinhua
Two smaller parties, GOOD and the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania, indicated they would not participate, citing limited parliamentary representation and the executive responsibilities of their sole members of parliament. Xinhua
The ad hoc committee will assess whether there are grounds under Section 89 of the Constitution to initiate impeachment proceedings against the president and will submit recommendations to the National Assembly after completing its inquiry. Xinhua
Regional and Global Impact
Under South Africa’s constitution, impeachment requires a two-thirds majority in the 400-member National Assembly. Analysts say that while the case continues to exert political pressure on Ramaphosa, the governing ANC and its coalition partners still retain sufficient parliamentary strength, making impeachment unlikely in the near term. However, it is expected to further intensify internal political dynamics within the party and may influence coalition stability and upcoming local elections. Xinhua
The proceedings also carry implications for South Africa’s Government of National Unity, the broad coalition formed after the ANC lost its outright parliamentary majority in the May 2024 elections. The DA, which holds the largest opposition bloc on the impeachment committee, has been a coalition partner in that government while simultaneously pushing for the committee to advance — a tension that will grow more visible as public hearings begin.
The scandal has also drawn scrutiny from international investors and credit rating agencies, for whom Ramaphosa’s political survival is closely linked to South Africa’s economic reform agenda and its relationship with multilateral lenders.
Background
The Section 89 Independent Panel Report concluded that there was prima facie evidence that Ramaphosa should answer questions about the theft of approximately $580,000 from his Phala Phala game farm in Limpopo in February 2020. The independent panel was led by former Chief Justice Sandile Ngcobo. The scandal became public in 2022, when a former head of South Africa’s state security agency went to the police and alleged money laundering. The panel raised doubts about Ramaphosa’s explanation that the money came from the sale of buffalo to a Sudanese businessman, and raised questions about why the theft was investigated without an official police case being opened. Parliament voted in December 2022 to reject the panel’s report, a decision the Constitutional Court ruled unconstitutional on May 8, 2026. The CitizenEWN
What Happens Next
The impeachment committee is scheduled to convene for the first time on Monday, June 2, though its proceedings could be disrupted if the Western Cape High Court entertains Ramaphosa’s application to suspend the parliamentary process pending review of the independent panel report. Parliament has been called upon to provide the record of proceedings within 15 days of the filing, which was submitted on May 26. Should the committee proceed unimpeded, it will hold public hearings before submitting recommendations to the full National Assembly. Any recommendation to proceed with impeachment would then require a two-thirds majority vote — 267 of 400 MPs — to remove the president from office. Virkkunen said regulators will continue their investigation — [Note: this citation belongs to the Temu article; disregarded] — and separately, the EFF and other opposition parties have signalled they will press for the swiftest possible hearing schedule. Mail & GuardianKhaleej Times
