South African Parliament to Establish Impeachment Committee for President Ramaphosa Over 'Farmgate' Cash Scandal

May 13, 2026

South Africa's parliament will establish an impeachment committee to investigate President Cyril Ramaphosa over the Farmgate scandal, in which thieves stole between $580,000 and $4 million in foreign currency hidden in a sofa at his Phala Phala game farm in 2020. The Constitutional Court ruled on May 8, 2026 that a 2022 parliamentary vote blocking impeachment was invalid, reviving proceedings that the African National Congress had previously blocked. Ramaphosa, who has led South Africa since 2018 on an anti-corruption platform, refuses to resign and pledged to legally challenge the proceedings, though political analysts believe he would likely survive both impeachment (requiring two-thirds majority) and no-confidence votes due to ANC and coalition support. The crisis compounds challenges for the ANC, which lost its parliamentary majority in 2024 and now holds only 40% of seats ahead of November 2026 municipal elections.

Farmgate cash scandal

▪Cyril Ramaphosa said the money stolen from his farm represented proceeds from the sale of buffaloes.
▪Thieves stole bundles of cash in foreign currency hidden in a sofa on Cyril Ramaphosa's ranch.
▪Cyril Ramaphosa said thieves stole $580,000 from the sofa on his Phala Phala game farm in 2020.
▪A former intelligence official said the amount stolen from Cyril Ramaphosa's farm was at least $4 million.

Constitutional Court impeachment ruling

▪The African National Congress blocked the impeachment process against Cyril Ramaphosa through a vote in parliament in 2022.
▪The Constitutional Court of South Africa ruled on May 8, 2026 that the 2022 parliamentary vote blocking Cyril Ramaphosa's impeachment was invalid.
▪The Constitutional Court of South Africa ruled that allegations related to the theft from Cyril Ramaphosa's farm should be probed further.

Ramaphosa's televised address

▪Cyril Ramaphosa has been head of state of South Africa since 2018.
▪Cyril Ramaphosa said nothing in the Constitutional Court judgment compels him to resign his office.
▪Cyril Ramaphosa said in his May 11, 2026 address that he respected the Constitutional Court ruling that revived impeachment proceedings against him.
▪Cyril Ramaphosa delivered a televised address to the nation on May 11, 2026.

Presidential defense strategy

▪Cyril Ramaphosa pledged to defend himself against impeachment proceedings in his May 11, 2026 address.

ANC political implications

▪The African National Congress was expected to perform poorly in the November 2026 municipal elections before the Farmgate scandal ruling.
▪Cyril Ramaphosa came to power on a pledge to fight corruption and clean up the image of the African National Congress.
▪The African National Congress called a special meeting of its National Executive Committee for May 12, 2026 to discuss what it should do about Cyril Ramaphosa.
▪The African National Congress holds about 40% of the seats in the National Assembly of South Africa.
▪The African National Congress lost its parliamentary majority in a 2024 election.
▪Municipal elections in South Africa are scheduled for November 2026.

Impeachment process outlook

▪The uMkhonto weSizwe party wrote to the National Assembly speaker asking her to schedule a vote of no-confidence in Cyril Ramaphosa.

Perspective of African National Congress

▪The African National Congress convened a special National Executive Committee meeting on May 12, 2026 to determine its response to the Constitutional Court ruling on Cyril Ramaphosa's impeachment.