South Africa’s Ramaphosa Addresses Nation Amid Farmgate Impeachment Crisis
Ramaphosa Faces Renewed Scrutiny Over Farmgate Scandal
By Sfundo Parakozov and Nilutpal Timsina
JOHANNESBURG, May 11 (Reuters) - President Cyril Ramaphosa was set to address South Africans on Monday evening after a court revived impeachment proceedings against him over a scandal in which thieves stole bundles of foreign cash from a sofa on his ranch.
The televised address was due to start around 8 p.m. (1800 GMT), Ramaphosa's office said in a statement.
The Farmgate Scandal and Its Political Impact
The scandal, dubbed "Farmgate" by local media, has been a major embarrassment for Ramaphosa since it broke in 2022, as he came to power on a pledge to fight corruption and clean up the image of his party, the African National Congress (ANC).
The ANC's national chairperson, Gwede Mantashe, told local broadcaster Newzroom Afrika that Ramaphosa was not resigning, and political analysts said they expected Ramaphosa to defend himself in the address.
Ramaphosa’s Response and Political Strategy
"I think he will want to, in terms of his own legacy, to fight these accusations and potentially ... see out his term, more or less," independent analyst Daniel Silke said.
Ramaphosa's term ends in 2029.
The ANC has called a special meeting of its National Executive Committee for Tuesday to discuss what it should do.
Details of the Farmgate Allegations
Cash Stuffed in Furniture on Ramaphosa's Ranch
In 2022, the ANC blocked the impeachment process through a vote in parliament, but the Constitutional Court said on Friday that the vote was invalid and an impeachment committee should be set up to further probe allegations related to the theft.
Ramaphosa, who has been head of state since 2018, has always denied wrongdoing, and said last week that he respected the court's judgment.
Disputed Amounts and Source of the Cash
He said the thieves had stolen $580,000 from the sofa on his Phala Phala game farm in 2020, though a former intelligence official said the amount stolen was at least $4 million.
The theft raised questions about how Ramaphosa could have acquired so much cash, whether he declared it and why he stuffed it into furniture instead of depositing it at a bank.
Ramaphosa, a wealthy businessman before he became president in 2018, has said the money was proceeds from the sale of buffaloes. A central bank investigation found he had not contravened exchange control regulations.
Impeachment Process and Political Implications
Political analysts say there is still a long way to go in the impeachment process.
An impeachment vote requires a two-thirds majority to pass and, even though the ANC lost its parliamentary majority in a 2024 election, it still has about 40% of the seats in the National Assembly.
Opposition Moves and No-Confidence Motion
Former president Jacob Zuma's political party, uMkhonto weSizwe, wrote to the National Assembly speaker over the weekend asking her to schedule a vote of no-confidence in Ramaphosa.
The speaker has not yet publicly responded.
Likelihood of Success for No-Confidence and Impeachment Votes
Analysts say a no-confidence motion, which would require a simple majority to pass, is also unlikely to succeed as Ramaphosa would probably be backed by most ANC lawmakers and key coalition partners such as the Democratic Alliance.
(Additional reporting by Anathi Madubela and Wendell Roelf;Writing by Alexander Winning; Editing by Kevin Liffey)
