Cyril Ramaphosa seeking judicial review of report from independent panel that accused him of ‘serious misconduct’
Cyril Ramaphosa has been accused of holding undeclared foreign currency, tax evasion, failing to inform police about a robbery at his private game ranch. Photograph: Toby Melville/Pool photo via APCyril Ramaphosa, the embattled president of South Africa, has rejected calls to step down and said he will seek a judicial review of a report handed over last week by an independent panel appointed by parliament that accused him of “serious misconduct”, aides said.
“It is in the long-term interest and sustainability of our constitutional democracy, well beyond the Ramaphosa presidency, that such a clearly flawed report is challenged, especially when it’s being used as a point of reference to remove a sitting head of state.”The report described potential “gross misconduct” by Mr Ramaphosa following the theft from his private game ranch of somewhere between $500,000 and $5 million in cash almost three years ago.
The prospect of weeks of infighting – at least until the ANC holds a major conference to appoint a leader for another five years scheduled for later this month – will inflict further damage on South Africa’s flagging economy. Opposition parties sought on Saturday to stiffen support for an impeachment, an unprecedented move under South Africa’s constitution.
Mr Zuma was forced out of power in 2018 amid widespread accusations of corruption and mismanagement, many later substantiated by a judicial inquiry. Officials have blamed his followers for instigating violent protests and looting last year, which was some of the worst violence for decades in South Africa.
The 70-year-old former labour activist has been helped by polls showing that support for the ANC, which has been in power since the fall of the racist, repressive apartheid regime 28 years ago, may collapse without Ramaphosa.
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