The government of Cyril Ramaphosa has plunged further into crisis, a day after an an independent panel appointed by parliament said there was evidence suggesting the South African president committed “serious misconduct” after millions of dollars in cash were reportedly stolen from his private game ranch almost three years ago.
Ramaphosa was expected to answer questions in South Africa’s parliament on Thursday but postponed his appearance, saying he needed time to consider the panel’s timing. The deputy president, David Mabuza, cancelled a keynote address at a World Aids Day commemoration event, while key spokespeople failed to hold regular briefings.
The South African rand has fallen sharply with fears growing of a protracted period of political instability that will hold back reforms to boost the country’s flagging economy.
Ramaphosa, who came to power in 2018, has been accused of holding undeclared foreign currency, tax evasion, failing to inform police about the robbery and misusing state resources by ordering his presidential guards to track down the culprits who then appear to have been paid off.
“We think the president has a case to answer on the origin of the foreign currency that was stolen, as well as the underlying transaction for it,” says the report by the panel published late on Wednesday. “This is a very serious matter, which, if established, renders …. a serious violation [of the constitution and anti-graft laws] and a serious misconduct.”
Ramaphosa denies any wrongdoing and has welcomed a separate police inquiry into the allegations, nicknamed Farmgate by local media. He not been charged with any crimes.
“I categorically deny that I have violated [my presidential] oath in any way, and I similarly deny that I am guilty of any of the allegations made against me,” the 70-year-old tycoon, one of South Africa’s richest individuals, said in a statement issued by the presidency.
Parliamentarians will vote next week on whether to initiate formal impeachment proceedings against Ramaphosa, an unprecedented step since a new constitution was adopted in South Africa after the fall of the racist, repressive apartheid regime 28 years ago.
The ruling African National Congress dominates the national assembly, so opposition parties cannot get the two-thirds majority necessary. This means the decision will depend on the balance of power between factions of the ANC, analysts say.
Reports in local media on Thursday night suggested that Ramaphosa might resign as early as this weekend rather than face a drawn out battle to remain in office.
Supporters of the former president Jacob Zuma have mounted a fierce resistance to Ramaphosa’s premiership, accusing the former businessman of pandering to international capitalism and South Africa’s disproportionately wealthy white minority.
Zuma was forced out of power amid widespread accusations of corruption and mismanagement, many later substantiated by a judicial inquiry. Officials have blamed his followers for instigated violent protests and looting last year, which was some of the worst violence for decades in South Africa.
The ANC will hold a conference this month to vote on whether to replace Ramaphosa as party leader or grant him a further five-year term that would allow him to continue as president and for a second term on the ANC ticket at general elections due in 2024.
Ramaphosa, who came to power vowing to clean up the graft that has become entrenched in the ANC, has insisted that any party official facing criminal charges of corruption leave office pending investigations and opponents now say he should do the same.
The three-member panel investigating the Farmgate allegations said Ramaphosa should face further scrutiny on his ability to stay in office.
“In all the circumstances, we think that the evidence presented to the panel, prima facie, establishes that the president may be guilty of a serious violation of certain sections of the constitution,” the report says.
The panel said it was evident that Ramaphosa put himself into a situation where there was a conflict of interest between his official responsibilities as president and as a businessperson involved in cattle and game farming.
Ramaphosa confirmed the robbery at his ranch and denied any claims of criminal conduct.
Opposition MPs have called on Ramaphosa to vacate office. John Steenhuisen, the leader of the Democratic Alliance said the report had left the president “in a virtually untenable position” and described “a seismic shift in South African politics”.
