Ramaphosa Faces Renewed Political Pressure Over “Farmgate” Scandal

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is facing renewed political pressure after the country’s Constitutional Court revived impeachment proceedings linked to the long-running “Farmgate” or Phala Phala scandal.

The controversy centers on the 2020 theft of a large amount of U.S. cash from Ramaphosa’s private Phala Phala game farm in Limpopo province. Former intelligence chief Arthur Fraser alleged that about $4 million had been hidden at the farm and that the robbery was improperly concealed. Ramaphosa has denied wrongdoing and says the money came from a legitimate buffalo sale, with the amount stolen closer to $580,000.

South Africa’s Constitutional Court recently ruled that parliament acted unlawfully in 2022 when lawmakers blocked an impeachment inquiry into the scandal. The ruling forces parliament to reconsider the matter through a formal impeachment committee process.

Ramaphosa has refused calls to resign and is now challenging a 2022 parliamentary panel report that found evidence he may have violated anti-corruption and constitutional rules. Court filings submitted this week reportedly describe the report as “seriously flawed” and overly reliant on hearsay evidence.

Despite mounting criticism from opposition parties, Ramaphosa still retains backing from his ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC). ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula said the court judgment does not require the president to step down.

Political analysts say impeachment remains unlikely because it would require a two-thirds majority in parliament, and the ANC still controls a large bloc of seats despite losing its outright majority in the 2024 election. However, the revived scandal is expected to deepen pressure on Ramaphosa’s anti-corruption image ahead of South Africa’s 2026 municipal elections.