Ramaphosa challenges Phala Phala panel report in court

President Cyril Ramaphosa's legal team argued in the Western Cape High Court on Wednesday that an independent parliamentary panel failed to properly assess whether he acted deliberately and in bad faith before recommending an impeachment inquiry into the Phala Phala farm theft. The hearing, which began on September 2, 2026, is part of Ramaphosa's application to set aside the Section 89 panel's report, which found sufficient evidence for him to face four impeachment charges related to the theft of approximately $580,000 from his Limpopo game farm in February 2020. Advocate Wim Trengove SC, representing Ramaphosa, told the court that the panel, chaired by former Chief Justice Sandile Ngcobo, misunderstood its task. He argued the panel equated "sufficient evidence" with "prima facie evidence," which he said is a lower threshold. Trengove contended the panel should have considered all evidence, including Ramaphosa's version, to determine if there was enough to warrant a full public inquiry, rather than simply accepting incriminating allegations at face value.