Constitutional Court Rules Parliament Must Consider Impeachment Inquiry into Ramaphosa

President Cyril Ramaphosa said he would not resign after the Constitutional Court ruled that parliament had acted unconstitutionally when it voted against establishing an impeachment inquiry based on the Section 89 independent panel’s report into the Phala Phala matter.

Ramaphosa stated he will challenge the panel’s report in court. The report, released in 2022, found prima facie evidence of possible serious misconduct by the president in his handling of the theft of foreign currency from his Phala Phala game farm in Limpopo. Ramaphosa has maintained that the money came from the legitimate sale of buffalo from his farming business.

According to the sources, Ramaphosa argues the panel’s findings relied on hearsay evidence and that the process was flawed. He has denied any wrongdoing.

In his weekly newsletter published on 11 May 2026, Ramaphosa called on South Africans to respect and uphold the laws of the country. He addressed recent violent protests and criminal acts directed at foreign nationals, stating that these “do not represent the views of South Africa’s people nor reflect the government’s policy.”

Ramaphosa said some individuals are assuming functions that only state officials are permitted to perform, including stopping people to check identification and conducting searches of private property. “Such lawlessness will not be tolerated, regardless of who the perpetrators or victims are,” he stated.

He noted that undocumented migration places strain on healthcare, housing and municipal services, particularly in poor communities. Ramaphosa added: “It distorts the labour market.

Ramaphosa called for a “whole-of-society approach” involving the private sector and government. He commended the Border Management Authority and the South African National Defence Force for strengthening borders and combatting illegal cross-border activity. The Border Management Authority intercepted some 450,000 people attempting to cross into South Africa illegally over the past financial year.

The government announced in the State of the Nation Address that it would hire up to 10,000 inspectors through the Department of Labour and Employment. Ramaphosa stated: “We continue to arrest and deport undocumented foreign nationals in accordance with the law, as we take forward the fight against corruption within the immigration system.”

He said South Africa has a strong refugee protection framework that prioritises integration of persons displaced by conflict, war and persecution. Refugees live within communities, participate in the economy and access services such as healthcare and education.

” He called on the country to reject attempts to damage its international reputation and undermine the solidarity that has defined South Africa’s relations with the rest of Africa since the dawn of democracy.