Cyril Ramaphosa Opposes Urgent Constitutional Court Appeal Over Section 89 Impeachment Inquiry

• President Cyril Ramaphosa has responded to an urgent appeal at the Constitutional Court against his interim interdict
• The appeal was launched by opposition parties and the Impeachment Committee as they sought to overturn the interdict
• The High Court interdict paused Parliament's Section 89 impeachment inquiry into President Ramaphosa

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 - President Cyril Ramaphosa has formally filed opposition to an urgent appeal before the Constitutional Court.

The appeal was brought on by opposition parties seeking to overturn a Western Cape High Court order that temporarily halted his impeachment proceedings. The Western Cape High Court granted Ramaphosa an interim interdict on 24 July 2026, placing a temporary pause on the public hearings of Parliament's Section 89 inquiry into his conduct related to the Phala Phala farm scandal.

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That pause remains in effect until the High Court rules on a separate review application in which Ramaphosa is challenging the findings of an independent panel report on the matter. The review is scheduled to be heard in early September 2026.

Ramaphosa's legal argument against direct access

In his submission, Ramaphosa argued that the matter does not meet the threshold required for direct access to the Constitutional Court. He contended that no exceptional circumstances exist to justify bypassing lower courts. He further argued that the interdict in question is interim in nature and has limited impact on the administration of justice, making the urgency of the appeal difficult to sustain.

Opposition parties push back on the interdict

The appeal before the Constitutional Court was jointly launched by the African Transformation Movement (ATM), the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), the uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) Party, and the Impeachment Committee. The parties are seeking to have the High Court's interdict set aside so that Parliament's inquiry can resume without delay.

The Section 89 inquiry forms part of a broader constitutional process that could, if it proceeds and finds sufficient grounds, result in a motion to remove Ramaphosa from office.

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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.

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