South African President Cyril Ramaphosa filed an urgent request with the court on Friday (the 12th) to try to halt the start of a parliamentary impeachment process related to the scandal known as “Farmgate,” according to court documents.
Ramaphosa wants the High Court to first rule on an appeal he filed to overturn the findings of an independent panel, which found evidence of misconduct in the case involving the theft of large sums of money hidden in a sofa at his farm in 2020.
The head of state stated that approximately $580,000 in cash, proceeds from the sale of buffalo, was stolen, but the incident raised questions about why the money was hidden in furniture and whether it had been properly declared to the authorities.
Ramaphosa denies any wrongdoing
Last month, South Africa’s Constitutional Court reactivated the impeachment proceedings, ruling that the 2022 parliamentary vote that had halted the process was invalid.
The High Court is expected to hear the President’s appeal against the independent panel’s findings between September 2 and 4.
Cyril Ramaphosa, 73, has held the presidency since 2018, and his second term is set to end in 2029.
The “Farmgate” scandal represented a serious political setback for Ramaphosa, who came to power promising to fight corruption and restore the credibility of the African National Congress (ANC).
Nevertheless, political analysts believe the president is likely to survive politically should the impeachment process come to a vote in Parliament.
Source: Reuters
