President Cyril Ramaphosa has filed an urgent court application to halt the Section 89 impeachment inquiry against him [2].
The legal move represents a critical escalation in the president's effort to block a parliamentary process that could remove him from office. The inquiry is linked to the Phala Phala scandal, and Ramaphosa said that the proceedings are premature [1, 5].
The application was filed at the Western Cape High Court in Cape Town [1, 2, 3]. The parliamentary impeachment committee said that it will oppose the president's bid to stop the inquiry [2].
Impeachment Committee Chair Makashule Gana is expected to attend the urgent interdict hearing [3]. The court hearing was scheduled for the Wednesday following June 18, 2026 [1, 2].
The process invokes Section 89 of the South African Constitution [2]. This specific legal provision governs the removal of a president from office on the grounds of serious violation of the law, or misconduct.
Spokesperson Vincent Magwenya is tasked with briefing the media regarding the president's legal position [2]. While some reports indicate the MK Party also planned media briefings ahead of the hearing, the president's office remains the primary source for the interdict's justification [2, 6].
This legal battle follows months of political tension regarding the handling of foreign currency found at the president's home. The committee's decision to proceed despite the court application was reported on June 18, 2026 [1].
“President Cyril Ramaphosa has filed an urgent court application to halt the Section 89 impeachment inquiry against him.”
The use of an urgent interdict shifts the battle over the Phala Phala scandal from a parliamentary committee to the judiciary. If the Western Cape High Court grants the stay, it could indefinitely delay the impeachment process and provide the president with a legal shield against legislative removal. However, a failure to secure the interdict would likely embolden the opposition and accelerate the Section 89 proceedings.
