President Cyril Ramaphosa’s legal challenge against the Section 89 independent panel report into the Phala Phala farm scandal will be heard in the Western Cape High Court on Wednesday.
The panel’s report concluded that there was substantial evidence suggesting Ramaphosa may have breached his oath of office in connection with the theft of $580,000 in cash from his Phala Phala farm in Bela-Bela, Limpopo.
The findings sparked political controversy after the National Assembly voted in December 2022 against adopting the report and proceeding with an impeachment process.
Several opposition parties subsequently challenged Parliament’s decision in the Constitutional Court.
The country’s highest court later overturned Parliament’s decision and ordered the establishment of an Impeachment Committee to consider whether proceedings against Ramaphosa should be initiated.
The President subsequently approached the Western Cape High Court, seeking to have the Section 89 report reviewed and set aside.
In July, the court granted Ramaphosa interim relief, temporarily halting the Impeachment Committee’s proceedings while his legal challenge against the report was being considered.
Wednesday’s proceedings will focus on Ramaphosa’s bid to overturn the findings of the independent panel.
The case remains closely watched as it could determine whether the findings that fuelled the Phala Phala impeachment controversy remain legally valid.