“I will not resign”: Ramaphosa breaks silence after Phala Phala court ruling

President Cyril Ramaphosa reacts to the Phala Phala saga

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has firmly ruled out stepping down amid renewed pressure over the Phala Phala saga, announcing instead that he will challenge the Section 89 independent panel report in court.

Addressing the nation on Monday evening, Ramaphosa said the recent Constitutional Court judgment had changed the legal status of the controversial report, which found prima facie evidence suggesting he may have violated the Constitution and committed serious misconduct linked to the 2020 theft at his Phala Phala farm.

“On the basis of advice from my legal team and as envisaged by the Constitutional Court when it said ‘unless and until the report is set aside on review’, I have therefore decided to proceed to take the independent panel’s report on review on an expeditious basis,” he said.

The Constitutional Court recently overturned Parliament’s 2022 decision not to proceed with an impeachment inquiry and instructed the National Assembly to refer the matter to its impeachment committee for further consideration.

Ramaphosa insisted that his move to seek a judicial review should not be viewed as an attack on Parliament or its constitutional role.

“I do so not out of disrespect for Parliament or its processes but to affirm the need for such findings to be correct in law and in fact, especially where Parliament’s work would be based on and informed by a report I believe is flawed,” he said.

The president also revealed that he had planned to challenge the panel’s findings shortly after they were released in December 2022, but Parliament’s earlier decision not to pursue impeachment proceedings effectively halted the process at the time.

Reiterating his innocence, Ramaphosa once again denied any criminal conduct in relation to the scandal that has shadowed his presidency for nearly four years.

“Since a criminal complaint was laid against me in June 2022, I have consistently maintained that I have not stolen public money, committed any crime nor violated my oath of office,” he said.

With political pressure mounting and opposition parties intensifying calls for accountability, Ramaphosa delivered his clearest response yet regarding demands for his resignation.

“There have been calls from certain quarters calling on me to resign. I therefore respectfully want to make it clear that I will not resign.”

He argued that resigning before constitutional processes had run their course would undermine the rule of law and validate findings he believes are deeply flawed.

“To do so would be to pre-empt a process defined by the Constitution. To do so would be to give credence to a panel report that unfortunately has grave flaws. I fully intend to continue serving the people of South Africa and to advance their interests,” Ramaphosa said.

The fallout from the Constitutional Court ruling has also triggered urgent political discussions within the ANC. Secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has reportedly called a special National Executive Committee meeting in Cape Town as the governing party weighs its next steps following the judgment.

At the same time, National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza confirmed that Parliament has begun preparations to establish an impeachment committee in line with the Constitutional Court’s directive.