Impeachment Committee Vows to Fight President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Court Bid to Halt Proceedings

• Impeachment Committee chairperson Makashule Gana has revealed the committee's stance regarding Cyril Ramaphosa's application
• The president's application to suspend the inquiry into the Phala Phala matter will be heard in the Western Cape High Court over two days
• RISE Mzansi's Gana argued that in granting the interdict, it would undermine Parliament's oversight mandate

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.

WESTERN CAPE — Parliament's Section 89 Impeachment Committee will formally ask the Western Cape High Court to throw out President Cyril Ramaphosa's application to suspend its work.

That’s according to Committee chairperson, Makashule Gana, who insisted that the committee had a constitutional obligation to press ahead. Ramaphosa’s application will be heard before the court on Wednesday, 15 July 2026 and Thursday, 16 July 2026.

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Ramaphosa is seeking to interdict the committee from commencing its formal inquiry until the court rules on a separate application in which he challenges the validity of the independent panel report that revived the impeachment process.

Committee stands firm against Ramaphosa

With the matter heading to court, the committee maintained that its legal position rested on the Constitutional Court's landmark May 2026 ruling, which found that the National Assembly's December 2022 vote to shelve the Phala Phala investigation was irrational and unconstitutional.

The ConCourt did not simply revive the matter; it specifically referred the independent panel's report to the impeachment committee, which the committee's lawyers argue triggered an immediate duty to begin the Section 89 process.

Gana's legal team will further contend that the Western Cape High Court has no authority to suspend an obligation imposed by the apex court, and that only the Constitutional Court itself can stay its own order. Granting the interdict, the committee argues, would frustrate Parliament's constitutional oversight function before a single piece of evidence has been tested.

"I have opposed this application by President Ramaphosa on behalf of the committee. We are clear on our side as a committee that the work of the committee needs to continue, and we are confident that the arguments that our legal team will present to the court will convince the court that the work of the committee continues."

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The Phala Phala matter dates back to 2020, when foreign currency was stolen from Ramaphosa's game farm. A Section 89 independent panel found prima facie evidence of constitutional violations in November 2022, but the ANC used its parliamentary majority the following month to vote against adopting the report. The Constitutional Court later declared that decision invalid.

Other stories about the ConCourt ruling

Briefly News has covered several articles about the aftermath of the ruling, as several politicians weighed in on the judgment.

• Julius Malema welcomed the ConCourt’s ruling and suggested that Ramaphosa resign before he was impeached.
• Mahlengi Bhengu said that the African National Congress was committed to the rule of law following the ruling.
• The Democratic Alliance said that the president must be held accountable after the ConCourt’s decision.
• Gayton McKenzie insisted that the Patriotic Alliance would not vote to impeach President Ramaphosa.
• Herman Mashaba called the Phala Phala saga a serious embarrassment to the nation.

ANC backs Cyril Ramaphosa over Phala Phala decision

In another article, the ANC's National Executive Committee (NEC) met to discuss the Constitutional Court's recent ruling on Phala Phala.

Briefly News reported that President Cyril Ramaphosa was not present at the meeting, as he was the subject of the discussions that were taking place.

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South Africans took to social media to share mixed reactions to the NEC's resolution that the party stood behind the president's decision.

Source: Briefly News