JOHANNESBURG — South African President Cyril Ramaphosa faced down calls to resign on Monday over a long-running scandal in which thieves stole a large sum of foreign currency hidden in a sofa at his Phala Phala game farm.
In a televised address to the nation, Ramaphosa said he respected the Constitutional Court ruling that revived impeachment proceedings against him but pledged to defend himself vigorously.
“While there have been calls in some circles that I should resign, nothing in the Constitutional Court judgment compels me to resign my office,” Ramaphosa said.
The scandal, dubbed “Farmgate” by local media, has been a major embarrassment for Ramaphosa since it emerged in 2022. He rose to power on a pledge to fight corruption and restore the image of the African National Congress (ANC).
Political analysts say Ramaphosa is expected to fight the misconduct allegations but faces mounting pressure ahead of municipal elections in November, polls in which his party is already forecast to struggle.
“The timing couldn’t really be worse … from an ANC perspective,” said independent political analyst Daniel Silke.
The ANC has called a special meeting of its National Executive Committee for Tuesday to discuss the matter.
In 2022, the ANC used its majority in Parliament to block the impeachment process. However, the Constitutional Court ruled on Friday that the vote was invalid and ordered further scrutiny of the allegations.
Ramaphosa, who has led the country since 2018, has always denied any wrongdoing. He has said the thieves stole approximately $580,000 (the figure he reported to authorities).
The theft raised questions about the origin of the large amount of undeclared cash, how it was acquired, and why it was hidden in furniture rather than deposited in a bank. Ramaphosa, a wealthy businessman before entering full-time politics, has maintained the money came from the sale of buffaloes. A central bank investigation later found he did not breach exchange control regulations.
Analysts say the impeachment process still has a long way to go, and Ramaphosa would likely survive any parliamentary vote. Removing a president requires a two-thirds majority. Although the ANC lost its outright majority in the 2024 national election, it still holds around 40% of seats in the National Assembly.
Former president Jacob Zuma’s party, uMkhonto weSizwe (MK Party), wrote to the National Assembly Speaker over the weekend requesting a vote of no confidence in Ramaphosa. The Speaker has not yet responded publicly. A no-confidence motion requires only a simple majority but is also considered unlikely to succeed, given expected support for Ramaphosa from most ANC MPs and key coalition partners such as the Democratic Alliance.
Source: Reuters
