President Cyril Ramaphosa is contemplating the possibility of initiating a new legal effort to invalidate the independent Section 89 panel report regarding the Phala Phala farm incident, following a ruling by the Constitutional Court on 8 May 2026. The court concluded that Parliament acted unlawfully by blocking further examination of the report’s findings in 2022.
In a decision announced by Chief Justice Mandisa Maya, the apex court deemed the National Assembly’s vote in December 2022, which rejected the panel’s report with a tally of 214 against 148, as irrational, unconstitutional, and invalid. The court also invalidated Rule 129I of the National Assembly’s procedures, which had permitted MPs to override the recommendations of the independent panel. Consequently, Parliament has been directed to send the report to an impeachment committee for thorough evaluation.
The Section 89 panel, led by retired Chief Justice Sandile Ngcobo, was formed following a burglary at Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala game farm in Limpopo in February 2020. During this incident, thieves made off with roughly $580,000 in undeclared foreign currency concealed within furniture. The panel concluded there was prima facie evidence suggesting the President may have violated section 96(2)(a) of the Constitution, breached anti-corruption statutes under the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act, and engaged in significant misconduct contrary to his oath of office. Ramaphosa has repeatedly denied any illegal activity, claiming that the panel misinterpreted its mandate and arrived at incorrect conclusions.
In 2023, Ramaphosa had set aside plans to challenge the report in the High Court, stating that the issue had effectively become “moot” following Parliament’s vote. Nonetheless, his legal representatives made it clear that they retained the right to revisit the matter if conditions were to change.
Political experts assert that the Constitutional Court’s ruling has indeed altered the circumstances. With the ANC no longer possessing a majority in the National Assembly under the Government of National Unity (GNU), opposition parties are now in a position to impact how Parliament addresses the revived process. The EFF, which joined forces with the ATM to bring the court application, celebrated the ruling as a significant win for accountability.
Following the ruling, the Presidency released a measured statement affirming that “President Cyril Ramaphosa respects the Constitutional Court’s judgment and reaffirms his commitment to the Constitution, the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law.” The statement emphasized that no one is above the law and that Ramaphosa has fully cooperated with all investigations.
While this ruling does not ascertain Ramaphosa’s guilt or innocence and does not automatically initiate impeachment proceedings, it has brought one of the most damaging political controversies of his presidency back into public focus. The actions of the President’s legal team regarding the panel report prior to any impeachment committee meeting will be closely monitored in the upcoming weeks.
