South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has received backing from the top decision-making body of his party, the African National Congress (ANC), over the ongoing “Farmgate” scandal involving the alleged theft of foreign currency hidden in a sofa at his private ranch.
According to reports by the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), the endorsement from the ANC’s National Executive Committee could provide a significant boost to Ramaphosa as he faces renewed calls for his resignation.
The ANC has not officially confirmed the reported decision, which was said to have been reached during a meeting on Wednesday. A party spokesperson declined to immediately comment on the development.
Ramaphosa, who has been in office since 2018, has consistently denied any wrongdoing. The scandal centres on claims that about $580,000 in cash was stolen from his farm in 2020, raising questions about the source of the funds, whether they were properly declared, and why they were allegedly stored in furniture instead of being deposited in a bank.
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Earlier this week, Ramaphosa said he respected a Constitutional Court ruling that revived impeachment proceedings against him and vowed to defend himself against the allegations.
The ruling effectively reopens parliamentary scrutiny into the matter after the court ordered the establishment of an impeachment committee to further investigate the claims. The ANC had previously blocked impeachment efforts in 2022.
Meanwhile, South Africa’s National Assembly speaker has confirmed that the impeachment committee will consist of 31 members drawn from 16 political parties in the lower house of parliament.
Under the arrangement, the ANC will hold nine seats on the committee, while its coalition partner, the Democratic Alliance, will have five.
