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South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday ruled out resigning after a court ruling revived impeachment proceedings linked to the controversial Phala Phala cash theft scandal.
The controversy resurfaced last week after South Africa’s Constitutional Court overturned the rejection of a 2022 parliamentary report that suggested Ramaphosa “may have committed” serious violations and misconduct.
Speaking in a televised address on Monday, the 73-year-old president insisted there was no basis for his removal from office and said he would challenge the impeachment process in court, adding that stepping down would only validate what he described as a flawed parliamentary report, maintaining that he had no intention of resigning.
“I therefore respectfully want to make it clear that I will not resign,” he said, adding that if he did, it would “give credence” to the “flawed” parliamentary report.
“I remain here and am not resigning,” he said.
The scandal centres on a 2020 burglary at Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm in Limpopo Province, where large amounts of foreign currency were allegedly stolen after being hidden inside furniture.
An independent panel had earlier concluded that the president may have violated the law in relation to the incident. However, parliament, then dominated by the ruling African National Congress (ANC), voted in 2022 against opening impeachment proceedings.
Following a complaint by the opposition Economic Freedom Fighters, the Constitutional Court ordered that the panel’s findings be referred to an impeachment committee for further consideration.
Ramaphosa, whose office last week said it “noted” and respected the court judgment, said in his speech that he had been advised to seek a legal review of the panel’s report.
It would examine possible “misconception of its mandate, grave errors of law, and unfounded conclusions of facts”, he added.
The South African leader, a former anti-apartheid activist turned businessman, has repeatedly denied wrongdoing. While acknowledging that the burglary occurred, he has rejected allegations that he attempted to conceal the theft or obstruct investigations.
Ramaphosa previously explained that the money involved came from the sale of 20 buffalo worth about $580,000 and said the matter had been reported to police authorities.
The renewed controversy comes ahead of South Africa’s municipal elections scheduled for November 4, as the ANC continues to face mounting criticism over corruption allegations, governance concerns and declining public support.
