The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have formally approached the Constitutional Court to challenge the National Assembly’s decision to reject an impeachment inquiry into President Cyril Ramaphosa regarding the Phala Phala scandal. The motion aims to have the parliamentary vote, which effectively halted proceedings in December 2022, declared unlawful and set aside by the judiciary.
Legal Challenge To Parliamentary Oversight
The party’s application stems from an independent panel report chaired by former Chief Justice Sandile Ngcobo, which previously identified prima facie evidence that President Ramaphosa may have committed serious constitutional violations. The EFF argues that the National Assembly failed its constitutional duty to hold the executive branch to account during the subsequent vote to block the inquiry.
The National Assembly failed to exercise its constitutional obligation to hold the President accountable.
Background And Political Implications
The controversy centres on the February 2022 theft of undisclosed amounts of foreign currency from the President’s Phala Phala game farm, an incident that prompted significant questions regarding his compliance with local anti-corruption laws. While the governing African National Congress previously used its parliamentary majority to prevent the adoption of the independent panel’s report, the EFF seeks to force a reconsideration of the oversight process.
The legal action continues a long-standing political battle to define the extent of presidential accountability within South Africa’s legislative framework. The Constitutional Court is expected to review the submissions to determine if Parliament’s procedural decisions satisfy the requirements of the Constitution.