President Cyril Ramaphosa said he respected the Constitutional Court’s ruling on the Phala Phala matter but planned to take the report on review.
Image: File
President Cyril Ramaphosa has refused to step down over Phala Phala scandal, vowing instead to challenge the controversial Section 89 report in court as pressure mounts against his presidency.
In a national address on Monday night, Ramaphosa made it clear that he has no intention of resigning despite growing calls from opposition parties demanding his removal from office.
“I will not resign,” the President declared.Ramaphosa confirmed that his legal team has advised him to take the independent parliamentary panel’s report on judicial review, arguing that the findings against him are deeply flawed and legally unsound.
The report found that Ramaphosa may have a case to answer over the 2020 theft of millions of US dollars from his Phala Phala game farm in Limpopo and allegations of a possible cover-up.
The political storm exploded after former intelligence boss Arthur Fraser accused the President of concealing the theft and bypassing proper law enforcement procedures after cash allegedly hidden inside furniture was stolen from the farm.
Ramaphosa has consistently denied wrongdoing, insisting the money came from the legal sale of game animals.
The crisis returned to centre stage on Friday when the Constitutional Court ruled that parts of Parliament’s impeachment process were unconstitutional.
The court also overturned the National Assembly’s 2022 decision that blocked the Phala Phala report from moving forward to a full impeachment inquiry.
That judgment has now reopened the door for Parliament to reconsider impeachment proceedings against the President.
But Ramaphosa says he is ready to fight.“I was advised by my legal team that the panel report can be reviewed on several grounds, including grave errors of law and unfounded factual conclusions,” he said.
The president argued that resigning now would amount to admitting guilt before Parliament and the courts have fully dealt with the matter.
“To resign would be to pre-empt a constitutional process,” Ramaphosa said. “It would also give credibility to a report that I believe is fundamentally flawed.”
He said he delayed taking the report on review in 2022 because Parliament had already voted against advancing the impeachment process, leaving the report with “no practical legal consequence” at the time.
However, the Constitutional Court ruling has now changed the legal position entirely.
Ramaphosa insisted his decision to challenge the report is about defending constitutional principles and ensuring due legal process is followed.
“I do so out of respect for the Constitution and the rule of law,” he said.
The ANC has publicly backed Ramaphosa and reportedly urged him not to resign as political tensions continue escalating inside and outside Parliament.
Still, opposition parties are expected to intensify demands for accountability, with critics arguing the scandal has damaged the credibility of the presidency.
Ramaphosa, who has been in power since 2018, now faces one of the toughest political battles of his career as the Phala Phala controversy refuses to fade.
Despite the pressure, the President struck a determined tone, saying he remains focused on governing the country.
“There is still much work to be done,” Ramaphosa said. “I will remain in service of the people of South Africa.”
Meanwhile, the ANC NEC is expected to meet on Tuesday to discuss the ConCourt judgement.
IOL Politics