African court to rule on Ramaphosa impeachment bid Friday

A South African high court will rule on Friday, July 24, on President Cyril Ramaphosa's urgent bid to suspend a parliamentary impeachment inquiry while he challenges the legal basis for the investigation. The judgment from the Western Cape High Court, expected at 10 a.m., will determine whether the Section 89 Impeachment Committee can proceed with its work into the 2020 Phala Phala farm burglary or must pause until a separate judicial review is concluded.

President Ramaphosa is seeking an interim interdict to halt the committee's activities, arguing that allowing public hearings to continue before his review application is heard from September 2 to 4 would cause him irreparable harm and humiliation. His legal team contends that the independent panel which recommended the inquiry applied an incorrect legal standard and failed to properly consider whether there was evidence of intentional misconduct by the president.

The impeachment process stems from a panel's finding that there is prima facie evidence Ramaphosa may have violated the constitution and anti-corruption laws concerning the theft of a large sum of U.S. currency hidden in furniture at his Phala Phala farm. A...