Ramaphosa Refuses To Resign Over Cash-In-Sofa Scandal As Impeachment Process Reopens

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has refused to resign over the country’s cash-in-sofa scandal linked to the Phala Phala affair , as Parliament moves to establish an impeachment committee following a Constitutional Court ruling that has revived a previously stalled inquiry and forced a fresh parliamentary review of the case.

The scandal centres on allegations that a large sum of foreign currency was stolen in 2020 from Ramaphosa’s private Phala Phala game farm in Limpopo . The money was reportedly concealed inside a sofa and other furniture on the property, and its discovery and subsequent handling triggered questions over whether the president properly declared the funds and reported the theft to authorities.

The issue resurfaced after the Constitutional Court ruled that Parliament had acted unlawfully in 2022 when it rejected a Section 89 Independent Panel report . That ruling has now compelled lawmakers to revive the impeachment process and set up a formal committee to investigate the allegations in detail.

Ramaphosa has rejected the findings of the Section 89 panel , describing them as flawed , and has vowed to legally challenge the report. He maintains that the court’s decision relates to parliamentary procedure and does not constitute a finding of wrongdoing. He has also insisted that resignation would undermine constitutional due process .

Parliament is now expected to constitute an Impeachment Committee , which will conduct public hearings and examine whether the allegations amount to a constitutional violation warranting further action.

The renewed proceedings have intensified political uncertainty and renewed scrutiny of executive accountability in South Africa. The case is increasingly viewed as a test of institutional oversight mechanisms , particularly in handling allegations involving undeclared assets and potential conflicts of interest at the highest level of government.

It has also deepened debate over public trust in democratic institutions , exposing tensions between legal accountability, political survival, and governance credibility.