South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa is facing a renewed political storm as new revelations from a declassified police watchdog report have reignited calls for his impeachment — nearly four years after the so-called Farmgate scandal first surfaced.
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) report, published this week after opposition party ActionSA and news outlet News24 filed a Promotion of Access to Information Act application, details what investigators describe as a deliberate attempt to conceal the theft of hundreds of thousands of dollars from Ramaphosa private residence at his Phala Phala game farm in February 2020.
What the Report Says
According to the IPID findings, Major General Wally Rhoode — then head of Ramaphosa security — failed to report the theft to the national police commissioner or include it in his annual report. Instead, Rhoode led an unauthorised investigation into the burglary, travelling to Namibia in connection with the case while invoking the President name to avoid scrutiny.
The IPID report states that Rhoode named drop the President name every time he conducted his unauthorised investigations into Phala Phala farm theft and that his actions were designed to conceal the incident.
The African Transformation Movement (ATM), a two-seat opposition party that lodged the original complaint with IPID, has now written to National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza formally requesting that impeachment proceedings be instituted against Ramaphosa.
Ramaphosa Response
When approached by journalists on Friday, Ramaphosa deflected questions, saying: It is part of the process, and as I have always said, processes must play themselves out.
His spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, insisted the IPID report focused on the conduct of police officers, not the President. IPID investigated the conduct of the police, not the President, Magwenya told The Africa Report, adding that a previous Public Protector report had found no link or nexus between the President actions and any abuse of power.
Political Fallout
The timing is politically delicate. The ANC — Ramaphosa ruling African National Congress — no longer holds an outright parliamentary majority following the 2024 elections, and relies on a coalition with the Democratic Alliance and other parties to remain in power.
ActionSA parliamentary leader Athol Trollip told The Africa Report that while impeachment proceedings are lengthy, the Phala Phala matter remains Ramaphosa albatross. Trollip said his party would push for the matter to be discussed in the newly established parliamentary oversight committee on the Presidency.
The President has been implicated in serious impropriety and he must suffer the consequences, Trollip said. If the President is not accountable, no-one will be accountable. We want to draw a line.
Constitutional Court Looms
Adding to Ramaphosa vulnerability, the Constitutional Court is expected to issue a ruling soon on whether Parliament was correct to overturn a previous report by former Chief Justice Sandile Ngcobo that found Ramaphosa had a case to answer. If the court reverses Parliament decision, it could significantly intensify pressure on the President.
Background: Where Did the Money Come From?
Central to the controversy is the question of the origin of the cash stolen from Ramaphosa couch — estimated at the time to be around 80,000, though some reports suggest the figure may be considerably higher. Ramaphosa has previously said the money came from the sale of a buffalo to a Sudanese businessman. Opposition parties have pressed him on why such a large amount of foreign currency was not declared to authorities.
The new IPID report does not fully resolve those questions — it focused on the police response, not the source of the funds — but opposition figures say the pattern of concealment it describes only deepens the mystery.