Constitutional Court Rules National Assembly’s Block on Ramaphosa Impeachment Inquiry Unconstitutional

In a landmark ruling delivered on 8 May 2026, the Constitutional Court found that the National Assembly acted unconstitutionally when it voted in December 2022 to block an impeachment inquiry into President Cyril Ramaphosa over the Phala Phala farm scandal.

The ruling nullifies the earlier parliamentary decision and orders that the findings of the Section 89 Independent Panel be referred to a formal impeachment committee for a full investigation.

Following this ruling, the response from opposition parties was swift and uncompromising. EFF leader Julius Malema immediately called for President Ramaphosa’s resignation, declaring:

“You cannot have a president who’s preparing an impeachment process on this side, and then occupying the office of the President at the same time.”

UMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela labelled Ramaphosa a “constitutional delinquent.” He argued that the presence of foreign currency in furniture made the Phala Phala scandal “far worse” than the Nkandla matter. Ndhlela confirmed that the MKP is consulting lawyers to open a fresh criminal case.

The African Transformation Movement (ATM), one of the key applicants in the case, welcomed the judgment. ATM President Vuyo Zungula said: “This is not just a case of the EFF and ATM versus Mr Ramaphosa. It is about our democratic order, where the rule of law is supreme and everyone, especially those in power, is held accountable.”

The ruling has placed the Democratic Alliance in an awkward position. New party leader and Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis welcomed the judgment, stating: “We will uphold the rule of law… The DA stands for a different kind of politics in which the Constitution comes before party loyalty.”

This position contrasts sharply with comments made in June 2024 by the party’s then federal council chairperson Helen Zille, who acknowledged that the DA had entered a political pact with the ANC not to support impeachment proceedings against Ramaphosa.

However, Zille’s remarks were made nearly two years before the April 2026 declassification of the IPID report, which reportedly revealed new evidence of coordinated state involvement in the alleged Phala Phala cover-up.

With opposition parties outside the Government of National Unity (GNU) now pushing for an expedited impeachment process, the upcoming parliamentary inquiry represents the most serious threat to President Ramaphosa’s tenure since he took office. The matter is expected to dominate South African politics in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, Patriotic Alliance leader Gayton McKenzie, who has grown close to the president since the formation of the GNU, had this to say:

“All these new social media lawyers on Social Media think they’re about to be admitted to the Bar, but don’t realise it’s not the same place you can buy tequila. President, let us continue the good work we have started, we shall meet in Parly to do as instructed by CC.”

McKenzie has however been accused by critics of “singing for his supper” due to his close relationship with Ramaphosa.