South Africa’s Constitutional Court Overturns Vote Shielding President Ramaphosa

South Africa’s top court has struck down Parliament’s 2022 move to halt impeachment proceedings against President Cyril Ramaphosa, ruling the decision unconstitutional in a judgment that immediately reshapes the political landscape. The Constitutional Court sided with opposition parties, which argued that lawmakers from the ruling party improperly shut down a process designed to test grave allegations against the head of state.

The dispute traces back to an independent panel’s findings that the President had a case to answer over the theft of more than $500,000 in cash reportedly stashed in a sofa at his residence. The revelation ignited nationwide scrutiny and sharpened questions about where the money came from and whether it had been lawfully declared.

By underscoring the limits of parliamentary authority, the court’s ruling opens the door for legislators to revisit the halted impeachment process. Lawmakers must now determine the next steps in a matter that has hovered over the presidency and galvanized public debate.