A South African court has ruled in favour of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s bid to temporarily halt a parliamentary inquiry into the alleged theft of large sums of cash from his private farm, known as the ‘Farmgate’ scandal.
The story began in 2020 when burglars broke into Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm in Limpopo and removed at least £430,000 (US$580,000) that had been concealed inside a sofa. The theft only came to light two years later, when former spy chief Arthur Fraser, a former ally of former president Jacob Zuma, released an explosive dossier to police accusing the president of hiding the robbery from authorities and breaching exchange control laws.
An independent panel was set up in 2022 and concluded that Ramaphosa “might have a case to answer”. Although MPs had initially voted against establishing an impeachment inquiry, the Constitutional Court in May 2024 declared that parliament had acted unlawfully by shelving the panel’s report. The court’s ruling cleared the door to revive the impeachment process.
Ramaphosa’s legal team, however, filed a separate court case challenging the panel’s findings. They argue that the panel misconceived its mandate, misjudged the evidence presented, and wrongly interpreted the four charges advanced against him.
On Friday, Western Cape High Court judge Andre le Grange issued an injunction that halted the parliamentary committee pending the determination by the court of Ramaphosa’s review case. The ruling allows the president more time to clear his name before the impeachment inquiry can proceed.
Reactions to the injunction have been divided. The Democratic Alliance, a coalition partner in parliament, said the ruling was not unexpected but that it did not stop the committee from carrying out preparatory work. The opposition party uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) accuses the president of using the courts to stall the investigation into the farm robbery. Meanwhile, the ANC applauds the decision, urging other parties not to engage in what it calls “politically motivated distortions” during the ongoing legal process.
Ramaphosa issued a brief statement acknowledging the court’s decision and expressing respect for the judiciary’s role. He remains determined to demonstrate his innocence through the legal channel. The case is set for a full hearing in September, while the impeachment inquiry sits on hold.
