President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to appear before the Western Cape High Court on 15 and 16 July 2026, where he will argue for an urgent interdict to halt Parliament’s Section 89 impeachment proceedings. The President has applied to review and set aside the independent panel report, which in 2022 established that there was prima facie evidence of a case to answer regarding the Phala Phala farm scandal.
Legal Challenge And Parliamentary Opposition
In his court affidavit, President Ramaphosa argued that it would be legally untenable for the National Assembly to progress with an impeachment process based on a report that he is currently challenging through judicial review. Parliament’s Section 89 Impeachment Committee has confirmed its intention to formally oppose the President’s application for the interim interdict.
“It would be intolerable and a travesty if the National Assembly were to proceed with an impeachment process triggered by the panel’s report, at a time when a challenge to the lawfulness and validity of that report is pending,” stated President Ramaphosa in his court papers.
Political Repercussions And Constitutional Oversight
The current legal manoeuvring follows a Constitutional Court ruling on 8 May 2026, which declared that Parliament acted unlawfully by initially rejecting the findings of the Section 89 panel, thereby ordering the legislature to revive the committee. Opposition parties, including the EFF and ActionSA, have criticised the President’s latest move as a strategic effort to avoid constitutional accountability rather than a legitimate legal concern.
Sinawo Tambo, national spokesperson for the EFF, described the move as evidence of a leader determined to evade scrutiny at all costs. ActionSA spokesperson Matthew George highlighted that the process is essential to maintaining the integrity of the Constitution, the Presidency, and Parliament, rather than merely protecting the reputation of an individual. The High Court’s ruling on the interdict will determine whether the impeachment inquiry is paused or allowed to proceed while the broader review application remains pending.