South Africa’s Constitutional Court Rules Parliament Must Resume Impeachment Inquiry Against Ramaphosa

South Africa’s Constitutional Court has ordered parliament to resume an impeachment inquiry against President Cyril Ramaphosa that lawmakers had halted. The ruling was announced on 8 May 2026. The proceedings centre on events from a 2020 scandal in which a large sum of foreign currency was stolen from Ramaphosa’s farmhouse, according to Al Jazeera reporting.

The court found that parliament had acted unlawfully when it shut down the legitimate impeachment inquiry. No publicly released evidence has documented the full details of the theft or the president’s direct involvement beyond what has already been placed before parliament.

In a separate development, the United States and South Africa held bilateral trade talks. The discussions focused on improving access to African mineral resources, a push that has eased tensions between the two countries, Semafor reported. South Africa’s domestic political developments in Pretoria form part of the context for the improved relations.

Japan and South Korea held security talks in Seoul on the same date. Representatives from both countries discussed the importance of bilateral ties, trilateral cooperation with the United States, and issues related to North Korea and the Middle East, the Japan Times said.

South Korea is not considering signing a bilateral military logistics support pact with Japan, its defence ministry stated on 8 May, according to Yonhap.

The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality suspended burials at several municipal cemeteries after persistent heavy rainfall caused extensive waterlogging at the sites. The municipality issued a public notice on Thursday detailing the decision.

” Officials cited saturated graves, unstable soil conditions, flooded access roads and compromised grave integrity as reasons the sites remain unsafe for mourners and workers. The municipality stated that calls for additional pumping would not immediately resolve the situation because removing standing water alone would not restore structural stability.

Technical assessments continue, with burials to resume only when conditions are deemed safe, compliant and suitable for dignified proceedings.