By Zuko Komisa
- President Cyril Ramaphosa is opposing an urgent Apex Court bid by Parliament’s Impeachment Committee and opposition parties to overturn a High Court halt on their work.
- Applicants argue the interdict damages constitutional accountability, whilst Ramaphosa maintains the matter lacks urgency and does not warrant direct access to the Constitutional Court.
- Judgment in the $580,000 Phala Phala farm theft trial involving three accused will be handed down on 2 November in Limpopo.
President Cyril Ramaphosa is opposing an urgent direct appeal to the Constitutional Court by Parliament’s Impeachment Committee and opposition parties (ATM, EFF, and MK).
The group is challenging a Western Cape High Court ruling that restricted the committee to administrative tasks until Ramaphosa’s review of the Section 89 report is heard in September.
The parties argue the High Court lacked jurisdiction and that its interdict undermines the separation of powers.
Rejecting the need for the Apex Court to intervene at this stage, President Ramaphosa stated in his answering affidavit:
“The applicants do not show that their applications are urgent, make no case for direct access to the Constitutional Court, and the interest of justice does not favour the leave to appeal against an interim order.”
Meanwhile, the criminal trial linked to the controversy is nearing its end in the Modimolle Regional Court.
Judgment will be delivered on 2 November for Immanuwela David and siblings Froliana and Ndilinasho Joseph, who are accused of stealing $580,000 from Ramaphosa’s farm in February 2020.
Defence counsel maintains that Froliana, a former domestic worker accused of tipping off the burglars, was not near the farm on the day of the theft.
