South Africa's top court rules against Cyril Ramaphosa over 'Farmgate' scandal

South Africa's top court has found against president Cyril Ramaphosa over the "Farmgate" scandal.

He is accused of stashing millions of dollars in sofas at his private game farm and covering up its subsequent theft.

The scandal almost brought down Mr Ramaphosa when it erupted ​in 2022 after an ⁠independent panel ⁠found evidence he may have committed misconduct.

Mr Ramaphosa - who came under pressure to quit - denied wrongdoing and was never charged with a crime.

At the time, his party, the African National Congress (ANC), rallied around him and used its ⁠parliamentary majority to prevent ​impeachment proceedings from ​being launched.

In 2024, the far-left opposition party Economic Freedom ⁠Fighters (EFF), went to the country's Constitutional Court, arguing parliament ⁠had acted unlawfully by failing ​to hold the president to ​account.

On Friday, the court backed the opposition case seeking to revive impeachment proceedings against the 73-year-old.

Read more:
What has Cyril Ramaphosa been accused of?

Reaction to the ruling

A key ​partner in the governing coalition, the Democratic Alliance (DA) ‌party, said ‌it would fully participate ​in an impeachment committee that would further ⁠investigate allegations ⁠made against the president.

The DA said it would not prejudge the committee's outcome, but said it would not "shield wrongdoing".

Mr Ramaphosa's ANC party has relied on a broad coalition of parties in order to govern since it lost its parliamentary majority in an election in 2024.

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'Farmgate' scandal

The scandal ​centred on allegations made by Arthur Fraser, a former spy chief, that Mr Ramaphosa tried to cover up the theft of about $4m (£2.93m) in foreign ​currency stashed in furniture at his Phala Phala game farm in 2020.

The president admitted there had been a break-in, but ⁠said the thieves only stole $580,000, which ⁠he said were proceeds from the sale of buffaloes.

Speaking after the ruling, Mr Ramaphosa said he ​respected ‌the court judgment, adding in ‌a statement that "no person is ⁠above ​the law".

South Africa's parliament said it would carefully study the ruling.

An impeachment vote requires a two-thirds majority to pass.

(c) Sky News 2026: South Africa's top court rules against Cyril Ramaphosa over 'Farmgate' scandal