President Cyril Ramaphosa has approached the Western Cape High Court in a bid to overturn the independent panel report into the Phala Phala scandal, which found that he may have breached the Constitution and abused his office.
The president is seeking to have the report set aside, particularly the recommendation that Parliament consider impeachment proceedings against him.
The report, released in 2022 and compiled by an independent panel chaired by former Chief Justice Sandile Ngcobo, concluded there was prima facie evidence suggesting Ramaphosa may have committed serious misconduct linked to the Phala Phala farm controversy.
Ramaphosa Argues Phala Phala Panel Relied On Weak Evidence
According to court papers, Ramaphosa maintains that the panel misinterpreted its mandate, relied heavily on hearsay and considered questionable evidence when reaching its conclusions.
“Save for the limited evidence I introduced in my response, there was no evidence before the panel,” Ramaphosa said.
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The president further raised concerns over how confidential Namibian police documents and an audio recording were presented before the panel. He argued that the material may have been obtained unlawfully.
The Times Post understands that Ramaphosa’s legal challenge centres on the credibility of the evidence used and the panel’s interpretation of its constitutional powers.
Constitutional Court Judgment Revives Impeachment Debate
The court challenge follows a ruling by the Constitutional Court of South Africa, which found that Parliament acted unlawfully when Members of Parliament voted against adopting the panel’s findings.
Following that judgment, National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza appointed a 31-member impeachment committee to reconsider the matter.
The renewed legal and political scrutiny places the Phala Phala issue back in the national spotlight as proceedings continue in both Parliament and the courts.
