President Cyril Ramaphosa said Monday night that he will not resign and will take the independent panel’s Phala Phala report on legal review [1].
The decision comes after a Constitutional Court ruling last week and signals a high-stakes legal battle over the president's fitness for office. The outcome could determine whether the head of state faces removal or maintains his mandate.
Ramaphosa said the review is his constitutional right [1]. He said that he has not stolen public money, committed a crime, or violated his oath of office [2].
The legal dispute stems from the Phala Phala theft that occurred in 2020 [3]. In that incident, thousands of dollars were stolen from furniture at the president's game farm [3].
Constitutional law expert Lufuno Nevondwe said that Ramaphosa has a constitutional right to take the report on review [2]. However, other critics have suggested the move is an attempt to weaponize the judicial system to cling to political power [4].
Ramaphosa's address to the nation on May 12 emphasized his commitment to the legal process. He said that the judicial review is the appropriate mechanism to address the findings of the independent panel [1].
“Ramaphosa announced Monday night that he will not resign”
This move shifts the Phala Phala controversy from a political debate to a judicial one. By seeking a legal review, Ramaphosa is attempting to invalidate or modify the panel's findings through the courts, which may delay potential impeachment or resignation pressures but risks further polarizing the public regarding the rule of law in South Africa.
