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Tag: Constitutional Court South Africa

  • South Africa’s Ramaphosa Refuses to Resign Amid Impeachment Pressure Over Phala Phala Scandal

    South Africa’s Ramaphosa Refuses to Resign Amid Impeachment Pressure Over Phala Phala Scandal

    South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has vowed not to step down after the country’s Constitutional Court opened the door for possible impeachment proceedings linked to the controversial Phala Phala cash theft scandal.

    Speaking publicly on Monday, Ramaphosa dismissed speculation about his future, declaring: “I remain here and am not resigning.”

    The political storm follows a Constitutional Court ruling last week which found that parliament acted unconstitutionally when it voted against establishing an impeachment inquiry into the president’s handling of the Phala Phala affair in 2022.

    The scandal centers on the theft of thousands of US dollars allegedly hidden inside furniture at Ramaphosa’s private game farm, known as Phala Phala. The incident triggered widespread scrutiny over the origin of the cash and whether the president properly disclosed and handled the matter.

    An independent parliamentary panel previously concluded there was prima facie evidence suggesting Ramaphosa may have committed serious misconduct in relation to the case. However, the president has consistently denied any wrongdoing.

    Ramaphosa maintains that the money came from the lawful sale of buffalo through his farming business and insists the allegations against him are politically motivated.

    The Constitutional Court ruled that the issue deserved deeper parliamentary scrutiny through a formal impeachment process rather than being dismissed outright. In response, Ramaphosa announced plans to challenge the report in court, arguing that its conclusions relied heavily on hearsay evidence.

    If impeachment proceedings move forward, opposition parties are expected to use the report as the basis for efforts to remove him from office.

    Political analyst Richard Calland said Ramaphosa would likely survive a parliamentary vote because of the governing party’s majority, but warned that a full impeachment inquiry could still severely damage the president’s reputation and political legacy.

    Ramaphosa has served as South Africa’s president since 2018 and remains a central figure within the ruling African National Congress amid growing political and economic challenges facing the country.

  • Julius Malema Sentenced to Five Years for Illegal Firearm Discharge, Granted Leave to Appeal

    Julius Malema Sentenced to Five Years for Illegal Firearm Discharge, Granted Leave to Appeal

    South African opposition leader Julius Malema has been sentenced to five years in prison after being found guilty of illegally possessing a firearm and discharging it in public, in a case that has intensified political tensions in the country.

    The 45-year-old leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and member of parliament was convicted on multiple charges, including unlawful possession of a firearm, reckless endangerment, and firing a weapon in a public space. The charges stem from a 2018 incident in the Eastern Cape, where Malema was captured on video firing a semi-automatic rifle into the air during the EFF’s fifth anniversary celebrations.

    Delivering the sentence at the East London court, Magistrate Twanet Olivier ruled that the act was deliberate rather than impulsive, describing it as a central moment of the event. Despite the sentence, Malema will not be immediately incarcerated after being granted leave to appeal both the conviction and sentencing.

    Appearing in court in a dark suit and red tie, Malema showed little visible reaction as the ruling was read. In his defense, he had previously argued that the firearm did not belong to him and that his actions were intended to energize the crowd.

    The ruling triggered strong reactions from supporters, with hundreds gathering outside the courthouse in solidarity. EFF loyalists chanted and sang revolutionary songs, celebrating the decision to allow an appeal with the phrase “sigoduka naye,” meaning “we are leaving with him today.”

    Malema, a polarizing and influential figure in South African politics, rose to prominence as the former leader of the youth wing of the African National Congress (ANC) before his expulsion following a fallout with former President Jacob Zuma. He later founded the EFF, positioning it as a radical left-wing alternative advocating land redistribution and economic transformation.

    Under his leadership, the EFF has steadily gained traction, emerging as South Africa’s fourth-largest political party in the 2024 general elections, partly by challenging the ANC’s traditional voter base.

    Following his conviction last year, Malema struck a defiant tone, telling supporters that imprisonment or death would be “a badge of honour” in the struggle for revolution. He has pledged to take his legal challenge as far as the Constitutional Court of South Africa.

    The case was initially brought forward by Afrikaner lobby group AfriForum, which has had a longstanding and contentious relationship with Malema and the EFF.

    Separately, Malema was found guilty of hate speech in August by an equality court over remarks made at a 2022 rally, which the court ruled demonstrated intent to incite harm, though the EFF has maintained that his comments were taken out of context.