Ramaphosa secures ANC backing amid renewed ‘Farmgate’ impeachment push

Africa, Politics

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (NPA) — South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has reportedly secured the backing of the African National Congress (ANC) National Executive Committee amid renewed impeachment proceedings linked to the controversial “Farmgate” scandal.

According to South Africa’s public broadcaster, SABC, the ANC’s top decision-making body endorsed Ramaphosa during a meeting held on Wednesday, providing the president with political support as pressure mounts over the revived impeachment process.

The ANC had yet to officially confirm the development as of Thursday, while a party spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for comments on the report.

The renewed controversy follows a recent Constitutional Court ruling which revived impeachment proceedings against Ramaphosa over allegations connected to the theft of large sums of foreign currency hidden at his private Phala Phala ranch.

Ramaphosa, who has served as South Africa’s president since 2018, has consistently denied wrongdoing in the matter.

The scandal, popularly referred to as “Farmgate,” emerged after reports that about 580,000 dollars in cash allegedly hidden inside furniture at the president’s farm was stolen in 2020.

The incident triggered public debate over the source of the money, whether it was properly declared, and why such funds were allegedly kept at the property instead of being deposited in a financial institution.

Reacting earlier this week to the Constitutional Court decision, Ramaphosa said he respected the ruling and would defend himself through lawful means.

The ANC had initially blocked impeachment efforts against the president in 2022, but the Constitutional Court last week ruled that Parliament must establish an impeachment committee to conduct further investigations into the allegations.

On Wednesday, the Speaker of the National Assembly announced that the impeachment committee would consist of 31 members drawn from the 16 political parties represented in the lower chamber of parliament.

Under the arrangement, the ANC will control the largest representation on the committee with nine members, while its coalition partner, the Democratic Alliance (DA), will hold five seats.

Political analysts, however, say Ramaphosa is likely to survive any impeachment vote should the process advance to the floor of parliament.

An impeachment would require the support of a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly, a threshold considered difficult to achieve given the ANC’s strong parliamentary presence.

The ANC currently controls roughly 40 per cent of seats in the lower house, positioning the ruling party as a decisive factor in determining the outcome of the proceedings.

The party has postponed its planned media briefing on the outcome of the National Executive Committee meeting from Thursday to Friday.

The Farmgate controversy remains one of the most politically sensitive issues confronting Ramaphosa’s administration as the president continues to face scrutiny from opposition parties and anti-corruption groups.