Ramaphosa’s future hangs in balance as Phala Phala legal fights continue

President Cyril Ramaphosa is awaiting a Western Cape High Court judgment on an urgent bid to interdict Parliament’s Section 89 impeachment committee, but political analysts say a favourable ruling may not restore his standing.

What the court challenge covers

Ramaphosa launched the urgent application after a Constitutional Court ruling declared Parliament’s 2022 vote to block his impeachment unlawful. That ConCourt decision required the National Assembly to reopen the investigation into the 2020 theft of $580,000 hidden in a sofa at his Phala Phala farm.

The president argues that allowing public hearings to go ahead before a separate judicial review of the initial Section 89 Independent Panel report is heard in September would cause him “irreparable harm and humiliation”.

Parliamentary committee response

The 31-member parliamentary impeachment committee, chaired by Makashule Gana, is opposing Ramaphosa’s interdict. The committee said it will continue preparatory work, including finalising internal rules and witness lists, pending the high court’s decision.

Analysts see lasting political damage

Political analysts quoted in reporting on the matter said legal success may not be enough to repair Ramaphosa’s political reputation.

Professor Andre Duvenhage said the political harm is already irreversible and argued that even if the committee does not find misconduct, parties such as the DA and Freedom Front Plus could be repositioned against the president. He said, in short, “President Ramaphosa is trying to survive until the end of 2027, and this is becoming more and more difficult.”

Professor Theo Neethling said Ramaphosa is likely to enter the final phase of his presidency as a weakened leader whose influence within the ANC will continue to diminish. Neethling warned that the cycle of parliamentary inquiries and court appearances keeps the Phala Phala issue prominent, producing ongoing reputational harm to both Ramaphosa and the ANC. He suggested attempts to halt the parliamentary process may have prolonged public attention on the matter.

Professor Sipho Seepe said Ramaphosa has lost credibility and accused him of focusing on preventing public discussion of the Section 89 report rather than clearing his name. Seepe added that the ANC, in a state of “denial and prevarication,” is unlikely to win back public trust and pointed to the 2024 election outcome as evidence of diminished public confidence.

ANC position and wider context

The ANC has publicly maintained political support for Ramaphosa and backed his judicial review of the Section 89 impeachment report. Mothusi Shupinyane Ka Ndaba, the ANC media liaison officer, did not respond to a request for comment.

Reporting notes that in the May 2024 general election the ANC secured 40.2% of the national vote, reducing its representation to 159 seats in the 400-member National Assembly and forcing the party into a Government of National Unity with other parties including the DA and the IFP.

What’s next

The Western Cape High Court judgment on Ramaphosa’s urgent interdict is pending. The parliamentary committee says it will press ahead with preparations while the legal challenge is decided, and a separate judicial review of the Section 89 Independent Panel report is due to be heard in September.