South African president secures legal reprieve as court blocks parliamentary probe pending review of 2022 misconduct report.

A South African court has temporarily stopped impeachment proceedings against President Cyril Ramaphosa, granting him a legal lifeline in the long-running controversy over hundreds of thousands of dollars allegedly hidden in furniture at his private ranch.

The Western Cape High Court ruled on Friday that Parliament must suspend its impeachment process until it determines Ramaphosa’s challenge against a 2022 independent panel report that suggested he “may have committed” serious violations.

Delivering the ruling, Judge Andre le Grange ordered that lawmakers halt any public impeachment hearings while the president’s application is being reviewed.

The scandal centres on a 2020 burglary at Ramaphosa’s luxury Phala Phala farm in Limpopo, where about $580,000 in foreign currency was reportedly stolen from a sofa. The president has consistently denied any wrongdoing, insisting the money came from the legitimate sale of 20 buffaloes and that the theft was reported to authorities.

However, critics — including opposition parties — have accused him of failing to properly disclose the incident to police and tax authorities, raising questions about transparency and accountability at the highest level of government.

The complaint that triggered the probe was filed by a former intelligence chief linked to ex-president Jacob Zuma. The accuser alleged a far larger sum — up to $4 million — was concealed and not officially declared.

Despite mounting pressure, Ramaphosa has refused to step down. Following Friday’s ruling, he reiterated his respect for the judiciary and pledged to cooperate with due process.

“The President reaffirms his respect for judicial independence and the separation of powers,” a statement from his office said, adding that he remains committed to accountability.

If it proceeds, the case could mark the first impeachment of a sitting South African president. The court is expected to hear Ramaphosa’s bid to overturn the 2022 panel findings in September.

The controversy has taken several twists. Although prosecutors dropped related charges in 2024, South Africa’s Constitutional Court revived the matter earlier this year by overturning a parliamentary decision that had previously blocked impeachment efforts — paving the way for the now-paused proceedings.