The African National Congress (ANC) has been thrown into a state of pure panic as it scrambles for a way to save President Cyril Ramaphosa from becoming the first South African leader to face a full impeachment inquiry. In a shocking twist, the Democratic Alliance (DA)—the ANC’s biggest partner in the new government—has made it clear they will not be throwing the President a "lifeline."
This political crisis exploded on Friday after the Constitutional Court ruled that Parliament acted unlawfully when it tried to kill the Phala Phala investigation back in 2022. The court has now ordered Parliament to set up a special committee to probe the scandal, which involves hundreds of thousands of US dollars found hidden in a sofa at Ramaphosa’s private farm.
The DA's "No Favours" Warning
The DA’s newly elected parliamentary leader, George Michalakis, has sent a clear message to his partners in the Government of National Unity (GNU): the DA is not here to protect individuals.
"There’s no guaranteed support," Michalakis said. "If there’s wrongdoing, there must be accountability. It’s as simple as that."
He made it clear that the DA would not betray its principles just to keep the GNU from collapsing. He even challenged the President to face the committee and prove his innocence. "If he has any defence, then good. If there’s any wrongdoing, then accountability must happen," he added.
This is a massive blow to the ANC, which was hoping its new partners would help make this problem go away. Without the DA's support, the President is in serious trouble.
ANC Scrambling for a Plan
Behind the scenes, top ANC leaders are holding urgent meetings to figure out how to stop the impeachment process before it even starts. The party's "Top Seven" officials are expected to meet today to discuss their options.
Some leaders are toying with desperate ideas to delay the process, such as:
• A Judicial Review: Trying to take the original Phala Phala report to court to get it thrown out.
• Watering Down the Rules: Attempting to limit what the impeachment committee can actually investigate so they don't "embarrass" the President.
• Speeding it Up: Forcing the committee to finish its work in just six weeks to limit the political damage.
One high-level ANC source admitted that the party is looking for any way to "curtail" the committee's powers. "We will not allow them to humiliate our president," the source said.
The Sofa Scandal That Won't Die
The Phala Phala saga began in 2022 when former spy boss Arthur Fraser revealed that over $500,000 in cash had been stolen from Ramaphosa’s farm in 2020. The money was allegedly hidden inside a sofa.
A panel of legal experts, led by a former Chief Justice, previously found that the President might have broken the law. However, the ANC used its majority in Parliament to vote down that report and stop any further investigation.
The Constitutional Court has now ruled that this move was illegal. The judges said Parliament failed in its duty to hold the President accountable. They also scrapped a parliamentary rule that the ANC used to block the process, calling it unconstitutional.
The Numbers Game
The math in Parliament is now the biggest worry for the President. To actually remove a President from office, two-thirds of the 400 MPs (267 people) must vote for it.
The ANC and the DA together have 246 votes. If they stick together, they can block any final impeachment vote. But if the DA decides to vote against Ramaphosa based on the evidence, the President could be forced out of office.
The Speaker of the National Assembly, Thoko Didiza, is already consulting with legal advisers on how to set up this historic committee. It will be the first time in South African history that such a process has ever happened.
As the ANC meets to find a way out, the rest of the country is waiting to see if the "Buffalo" can survive his biggest challenge yet—or if the GNU will crumble under the weight of the Phala Phala sofa.
