CAPE TOWN - The Western Cape High Court’s ruling on Friday could determine whether Parliament’s Section 89 Impeachment Committee can continue its work while President Cyril Ramaphosa challenges the findings of the independent panel report into the Phala Phala saga.
Ramaphosa is seeking an interim interdict to pause the committee’s work until the court hears his review application in September.
He argues that allowing the impeachment process to continue before the review is finalised could cause irreparable harm.
READ: Impeachment committee meets ahead of Phala Phala court ruling
Political analysts say the president is well within his rights to make this request and that his court bid does not encroach on the Constitutional Court order regarding the theft at Phala Phala.
The Independent Panel report highlights claims of misconduct, suggesting Ramaphosa may have exposed himself to a conflict of interest and violated the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act.
The President says he is not seeking to scrap the Impeachment Committee’s work entirely but only requesting a temporary suspension of its work.
READ: Judgment reserved in Ramaphosa's Phala Phala interdict
Experts point out that Section 89 sets a high bar for removing a president.
"This is good for our democracy, that people who are in high offices are held accountable; this shows that the law applies to everyone, irrespective of their position," public leadership expert Professor Zwelinzima Ndevu said.
In court papers, the president says that interim relief is his only satisfactory remedy.
- eNCA's Kevin Brandt reports.