South Africa President facing impeachment threat over ‘Farmgate’ scandal

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa could face impeachment after an independent panel found that he may have violated anti-corruption law during the investigation of a robbery at his farm.

In what has become known as the “Farmgate” scandal, Ramaphosa is alleged to have covered up a $4 million theft from his Phala Phala farm in the northeast of the country in 2020. Some $580,000 of this was found beneath sofa cushions, and allegations also include working with Namibian authorities to apprehend, torture and bribe the suspects.

Ramaphosa staunchly denies the allegations and has not been charged with any crimes. He maintains that the cash was the proceeds from the sale of buffalo. He has confirmed that the robbery took place, but insists that the amount stolen was smaller than alleged and denies participating in a cover-up.

Ramaphosa delayed a planned parliamentary appearance on Thursday to consider the panel’s findings, while his spokesman Vincent Magwenya also canceled a scheduled media briefing.

“I have endeavored, throughout my tenure as President, not only to abide by my oath but to set an example of respect for the Constitution, for its institutions, for due process and the law,” Ramaphosa said in a statement Wednesday.

“I categorically deny that I have violated this oath in any way, and I similarly deny that I am guilty of any of the allegations made against me.”

The panel was appointed in accordance with Section 89 of the constitution by the speaker of parliament to examine whether the president should face impeachment, after Arthur Fraser, former head of the country’s State Security Agency and close ally of former President Jacob Zuma, filed a complaint with police in June.

On Wednesday, its final report recommended that the president has a case to answer, concluding that the information it has seen establishes prima facie that “there was a deliberate intention not to investigate the commission of the crimes committed at Phala Phala openly.”

Agencies