The Constitutional Court handed down a significant judgment on Friday in the long-running Phala Phala matter. Chief Justice Mandisa Maya ruled that Parliament’s December 2022 decision to reject a Section 89 panel report was invalid and unconstitutional.
EFF leader Julius Malema, who attended the hearing in Braamfontein, described the outcome as a “victory for accountability”. He immediately called for the impeachment process against President Cyril Ramaphosa to begin without delay.
ConCourt Sets Aside Parliament’s 2022 Phala Phala Vote
The court found that the National Assembly acted unlawfully when it voted down the independent panel’s report. That panel, chaired by former Chief Justice Sandile Ngcobo, had found prima facie evidence of serious misconduct linked to the 2020 burglary at Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm in Limpopo.
The ruling means Parliament must now refer the matter to an impeachment committee. This committee will have full investigative powers, unlike the earlier ad hoc process. Speaker of the National Assembly Thoko Didiza must facilitate the next steps.
EFF Demands Immediate Impeachment Action
Malema said he had instructed the EFF chief whip to write to the Speaker straight away. “The impeachment process must kick in with immediate effect, and that’s what we demand,” he told reporters outside the court.
He added that the committee should summon Ramaphosa to appear in person and visit Phala Phala to examine how intruders accessed the farm and removed foreign currency. Malema also expects the process to scrutinise earlier clearances issued by the South African Reserve Bank, SARS and the Public Protector.
Political Reactions and Next Steps
Malema criticised ANC MPs for using their majority to block earlier accountability measures. He questioned whether the DA would maintain its previous support for impeachment now that it forms part of the Government of National Unity.
He singled out former minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma for praise, noting she had voted according to her conscience rather than party lines. The Presidency has stated that it respects the judiciary and the rule of law.
