A South African court has halted impeachment proceedings against President Cyril Ramaphosa over a scandal involving $580,000 allegedly hidden at his private ranch.
The Western Cape High Court on Friday granted Ramaphosa’s request to suspend the work of a parliamentary impeachment committee pending the outcome of his legal challenge against a 2022 report that found he may have committed serious misconduct.
Ramaphosa has denied any wrongdoing and said he would not resign over the matter which arose after the theft of foreign currency from his Phala Phala farm in 2020.
He maintains that the money was proceeds from the sale of buffaloes and that the burglary was reported to the police.
Judge Andre le Grange ordered that the impeachment hearing should not proceed until the court determines the president’s review application. The court is expected to hear the case in September.
The impeachment process, if allowed to continue, would be the first involving a sitting South African president.
The controversy has placed Ramaphosa under pressure, though he has pledged to respect judicial processes and accountability measures.
