South African government plunged into crisis over ‘Farmgate’ scandal

South African president Cyril Ramaphosa could be forced to quit over a scandal involving a theft at his buffalo farm.

Ramaphosa, who became South Africa’s president in 2018 and led the ruling African National Congress to a general election victory a year later, was “elected to root out corruption”, said CNN. However, a report from a panel of legal experts into accusations that he covered up the theft of $4m (£3.3m) in cash from his farm means he could be forced to quit.

The scandal, which has been dubbed “Farmgate”, began when a sum said to be between $500,000 and $5m was stolen from Ramaphosa’s ranch at Phala Phala, in Limpopo province, in early 2020.

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“The cash does not appear to have been declared according to strict local money laundering regulations or for tax,” said The Guardian, and “nor was its theft reported to police”. Instead, a presidential bodyguard was “tasked with tracking down the money and then possibly paying off the culprits”, said the paper.

An independent panel appointed by parliament concluded that the cash was stuffed inside a leather sofa. It found that there was evidence that the South African president may have committed “serious misconduct”, throwing the “embattled leader’s political future into jeopardy”, said Foreign Policy.

Ramaphosa categorically denies he has done anything wrong. But his political future now “hangs on the decision of parliament”, which meets in extraordinary session on Tuesday, and could initiate a process for an impeachment vote, said Africa News.

However, a two-thirds majority would be required, meaning that about half of the ANC’s members would have to vote with the opposition parties. Such an outcome is “unlikely”, said The Guardian, “because Ramaphosa has long been seen as the party’s best candidate for general elections expected in 2024”.

However, said NBC News, his presidency “hung in the balance” this morning and there is speculation that he might stand down before the weekend.