Phala Phala Impeachment? Not So Fast… Hold My Beer, Says Ramaphosa”

CAPE TOWN – Just when many thought the Phala Phala saga was heading straight toward impeachment territory, President Cyril Ramaphosa appears to be saying: “Not today.”

The President has officially filed papers in the Western Cape High Court challenging the controversial Independent Panel report that previously found there may be prima facie evidence suggesting he violated the Constitution and exposed himself to a conflict between public office and private business interests.

In a lengthy 63-page court application lodged on Tuesday, Ramaphosa argues the panel misunderstood its mandate, relied on hearsay evidence, and reached conclusions without proper legal grounding.

According to the President, the panel effectively built its findings on speculation rather than hard evidence.

“Save for the limited evidence I introduced in my response, there was no evidence before the panel,” Ramaphosa states in the papers.

Ramaphosa also raises questions about how alleged confidential Namibian police documents and audio recordings surfaced during the process, hinting that former spy boss Arthur Fraser may have relied on what he calls “fiction, conjecture and speculation.”

The latest legal move now shifts the political drama from Parliament straight into the courtroom, where another fierce battle is expected to unfold.

Earlier this month, the Constitutional Court ruled that Parliament acted unlawfully when it voted against adopting the independent panel’s report — reviving impeachment debates and reigniting political tensions across the country.

For now, however, Ramaphosa seems determined to slow the impeachment train down before it leaves the station.