By Nilutpal Timsina
JOHANNESBURG, May 26 (Reuters) – South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has filed a legal challenge against a panel report that found he may have committed misconduct in a scandal in which bundles of cash were stolen from a sofa on his farm, broadcaster eNCA reported on Tuesday.
Ramaphosa wants the finding in 2022 that he may have violated the constitution set aside, arguing that the report was based on hearsay evidence and the panel misunderstood its mandate, eNCA said, citing papers filed in court.
Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Vincent Magwenya did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Ramaphosa, in office since 2018, has always denied wrongdoing in the scandal, dubbed “Farmgate” by local media.
The theft raised questions about how Ramaphosa initially acquired the $580,000 in cash that he said had been stolen from his farm in 2020, whether it was properly declared, and why it was stashed in furniture rather than deposited in a bank.
A wealthy businessman before he became president, Ramaphosa said the money was proceeds from the sale of buffaloes, and a central bank investigation found he had not contravened exchange control regulations.
TOP COURT REVIVES IMPEACHMENT PROCESS
The scandal has been a major embarrassment for the president, who came to power on a pledge to fight corruption and clean up the image of his African National Congress (ANC) party.
In 2022, ANC lawmakers blocked impeachment proceedings against Ramaphosa, but earlier this month the constitutional court said the parliamentary vote was invalid and that the allegations should be probed further.
Ramaphosa, 73, has said he respects the ruling and faced down calls from some opponents to resign.
His presidential term is due to end in 2029, and political analysts say he is likely to survive if the impeachment process goes to a vote in parliament.
The ANC this month reiterated its support for Ramaphosa, strengthening his chances of weathering any revived impeachment effort.
An impeachment vote would require a two-thirds majority to pass and, even though the ANC lost its parliamentary majority in a 2024 election, it still has about 40% of the seats in the National Assembly.
(Additional reporting by Sfundo Parakozov;Editing by Alexander Winning and Keith Weir)
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