The South African Communist Party (SACP) has called for the rapid initiation of impeachment proceedings against President Cyril Ramaphosa following a Constitutional Court ruling.
This development increases political pressure on the presidency and the National Assembly to address allegations of misconduct. The ruling removes a significant legal barrier that previously blocked the impeachment process from advancing.
Solly Mapaila, General Secretary of the SACP, said the remarks during a commemoration of Chris Hani in Acornhoek, Mpumalanga [1]. Mapaila said the party welcomes the judgment regarding the Phala Phala matter, which concerns the handling of foreign currency found at the president's home.
The Constitutional Court determined that the decision by the National Assembly not to refer the Section 89 [1] independent-panel report to an impeachment committee was unlawful and invalid [1]. The Section 89 report serves as the primary investigative basis for determining if a president has violated the constitution, or committed a serious crime.
Mapaila said the impeachment process must now move quickly to ensure accountability. The SACP maintains that the failure of Parliament to act on the report earlier was a breach of constitutional duty [2].
The ruling forces the National Assembly to reconsider the findings of the independent panel. Because the court invalidated the previous decision to ignore the report, the legislative body must now determine if the evidence warrants a formal impeachment inquiry [3].
This legal setback for the administration comes as the SACP continues to push for a more rigorous application of the law regarding executive conduct. Mapaila said the ruling provides a clear path forward for those seeking presidential accountability [2].
“The SACP has called for the rapid initiation of impeachment proceedings against President Cyril Ramaphosa.”
The Constitutional Court's ruling strips the National Assembly of its previous legal justification for blocking impeachment proceedings. By declaring the refusal to refer the Section 89 report as unlawful, the court has effectively mandated a restart of the process. This places the ruling party in a difficult position, as they must now either proceed with an investigation into their own leader or risk further legal challenges for defying a court mandate.
