Herman Mashaba Calls Phala Phala Saga a National Embarrassment, Urges President Ramaphosa to Resign

• ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba weighed in on the Phala Phala scandal following the Constitutional Court's ruling
• Mashaba called on Parliament to take the necessary steps to hold President Cyril Ramaphosa accountable
• The ActionSA leader also called on the president to step down amid the controversy surrounding the robbery at his farm

Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.

GAUTENG – Herman Mashaba has described the Phala Phala scandal as a serious embarrassment to the nation following the Constitutional Court’s ruling on the matter.

The court ruled on 8 May 2025 that the National Assembly acted unconstitutionally when it rejected a report into the robbery at President Ramaphosa’s game farm. The Section 89 Independent Panel Report found prima facie evidence that the president may have violated his oath of office regarding the cover-up of a robbery at his game farm.

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With the ruling now opening the door for impeachment proceedings to be restarted, the ActionSA leader weighed in on the situation as well.

Mashaba describes Phala Phala as a serious embarrassment

Speaking at an ActionSA event in Pretoria on 9 May 2026, where the party announced its mayoral candidate for Tshwane, Mashaba weighed in on the ConCourt’s ruling.

Addressing the supporters, he said that the Phala Phala was a serious embarrassment for the nation. He added that Parliament now needed to take the necessary steps to hold Ramaphosa accountable.

“I call this an embarrassment because any head of state that hides foreign currency in couches and mattresses is undeserving of being in high office,” he said.

Mashaba calls on Ramaphosa to resign

Mashaba also joined calls for Ramaphosa to resign before impeachment proceedings begin. The ActionSA leader said that Ramaphosa needed to save the country from any further embarrassment and resign with immediate effect.

He also called on all political parties to put South Africa first by supporting the impeachment process.

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What you need to know about the Phala Phala case

• The NPA announced that it would not prosecute anyone related to the Phala Phala scandal.
• The NPA encouraged parties to make use of the review process if they were unhappy with the decision.
• President Ramaphosa was grilled in Parliament in October 2024 about the Phala Phala saga, but he maintained his innocence.
• Police Minister Senzo Mchunu confirmed that IPID’s report into Phala Phala was marked as top secret.
• ActionSA demanded transparency regarding Phala Phala and wanted access to IPID’s report.
• The MK Party wanted the report to be made public, but citizens wanted all the focus on Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s allegations first.

ANC committed to the rule of law following ConCourt ruling

Briefly News also reported that the African National Congress (ANC) weighed in on the Constitutional Court's ruling regarding the Phala Phala saga.

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ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu emphasised that the party was committed to the rule of law following the ruling.

South Africans took to social media to weigh in on Bhengu's comments about the ANC's views on the ConCourt's ruling.

Source: Briefly News