'Not Shocked':Political Parties React After Court Pauses Ramaphosa's Phala Phala Impeachment Process

• The Western Cape High Court temporarily halted Parliament's Section 89 impeachment process linked to the Phala Phala matter
• President Cyril Ramaphosa successfully applied to freeze the impeachment committee pending a review of the independent panel's report
• Political parties including the DA, MK Party, ATM and ANC have all weighed in on what the ruling means for Parliament's next steps

SOUTH AFRICA — The Western Cape High Court has issued a temporary halt on Parliament's Section 89 impeachment proceedings against President Cyril Ramaphosa, which relate to the Phala Phala scandal. The ruling prompted immediate responses from political parties across the spectrum.

Ramaphosa approached the court seeking to suspend the impeachment committee's work until a judicial review of the independent panel's Phala Phala report is finalised. His argument centred on the claim that the panel's finding of prima facie evidence against him may have been inconsistent with the Constitution and existing law.

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Western Cape High Court grants Cyril Ramaphosa interdict to halt Phala Phala impeachment hearings

Committee chair signals limited progress

Impeachment committee chairperson Makashule Gana said members would study the full court judgment before making further decisions.

His initial reading of the ruling suggests the committee may continue with preparatory work, but that public hearings cannot commence until Ramaphosa's review application has been resolved.

Parties divided on the outcome

The DA's Glynnis Breytenbach, an MP who serves on the committee, said the ruling came as no surprise.

"It was to be expected," she said.

Breytenbach added that the judgment does not prevent the committee from continuing preparations in the interim.

The uMkhonto weSizwe Party shared that view on the predictability of the outcome, but expressed disappointment with the result.

"It matters who you are," he said.

The African Transformation Movement's leader, Vuyo Zungula, echoed the position that the ruling was a delay rather than a dead end, noting that preparatory committee work could still proceed.

The ANC welcomed the court's decision. MP Mika Mahlaule said the review process would promote fairness before Parliament moves forward with the full impeachment inquiry, and confirmed the party's belief that Parliament can resume its work once the review is complete.

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Phala Phala interdict bid 'will fail', Says Vuyo Zungula Ahead of Court Date

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Phala Phala background

The Phala Phala matter stems from allegations that foreign currency was concealed at Ramaphosa's game farm in Limpopo. An independent panel previously found sufficient prima facie evidence to warrant a parliamentary inquiry, triggering the Section 89 process. Ramaphosa has consistently disputed the panel's conclusions and their constitutional basis.

ATM's Vuyo Zungula says bid will fail

Briefly News reported that the African Transformation Movement (ATM) Parliamentary leader Vuyo Zungula warned that President Cyril Ramaphosa's court bid to interdict Parliament's Section 89 impeachment committee is almost certain to fail, citing the constitutional basis of the process and the hierarchy of the courts.Zungula was speaking the da before the judgement was due. Zungula outlined two grounds for his assessment. First, courts have previously refused to halt parliamentary processes at the request of the former Public Protector, and the judiciary is unlikely to contradict that precedent.

Source: Briefly News