South Africa's Parliament Votes Against Ramaphosa Impeachment Over 'Farmgate' Scandal

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has been facing calls to step down after he was accused in a report of corruption and breaching the constitution. Lately, the parliament postponed a vote on his impeachment as leaders of the governing party voiced support for the president, recommending that the corruption charges be dismissed.

South African MPs at a special sitting of the parliament have rejected a move to impeach President Cyril Ramaphosa over a report that found he may have violated the country's constitution and anti-corruption laws. The parliamentary session took place in Cape Town on December 13, 2022.

Following the debate on the possibility of initiating proceedings to remove Ramaphosa from office, lawmakers voted 214 to 148, with two abstentions, against starting impeachment proceedings, including setting up an impeachment committee, with the governing African National Congress (ANC) largely supporting the party's leader.

The initially scheduled vote day was December 6, but it was postponed by a week. The decision was made after the ANC, with a majority in the parliament, expressed support for Ramaphosa, vowing to rally around its leader at the vote, saying it would block a possible impeachment.

The so-called "Farmgate" corruption scandal erupted in June, when former South African State Security Agency chief Arthur Fraser accused the head of state of concealing the fact that the equivalent of $4 million of allegedly illegal money was stolen from his Phala Phala game reserve in February 2020. Along with accusations of other crimes, this led to the case being examined by a legal panel and later parliament.

Ramaphosa, who is up for re-election as ANC leader, denied all allegations made against him. He stated that the money, which was reportedly hidden in a sofa, had been stolen, but instead of $4 million it was $580,000, coming from the sale of buffalo. Earlier, in June, he argued that "dirty politics" was behind the accusations of his involvement.

The president has filed a case with the Constitutional Court, demanding that the report accusing him of corruption and putting him at risk of impeachment be overturned.

The president’s spokesman, Vincent Magwenya, highlighted that Ramaphosa would not resign in the wake of "a flawed report” that caused the Farmgate scandal, noting that he is set to seek a second term as leader of the governing party.

The ANC will elect its next leader at its 55th National Conference, which will be held from December 16 to 20.