Pretoria – The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has filed an urgent application in the Constitutional Court seeking to overturn a Western Cape High Court ruling that halted Parliament’s Section 89 impeachment proceedings against President Cyril Ramaphosa over the Phala Phala matter.
The party argues that the High Court unlawfully interfered with Parliament’s constitutional duty by suspending the impeachment process pending the outcome of Ramaphosa’s review application against the findings of the Independent Panel.
The EFF, which joined the case alongside the African Transformation Movement (ATM), said the ruling has effectively brought Parliament’s accountability process to a standstill.
According to the party, “the central issue before the Constitutional Court is whether the judiciary has the authority to suspend an ongoing parliamentary accountability process before it has reached its conclusion.”
EFF CONSTITUTIONAL COURT APPEAL ON SECTION 89 IMPEACHMENT COMMITTEE pic.twitter.com/HCe9SsbPK6
— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) July 28, 2026
The EFF maintains that Section 89 gives Parliament the exclusive authority to determine whether grounds exist to remove a president from office and argues that “the courts should not intervene in that process before Parliament has completed its constitutional mandate.”
The party also criticised Ramaphosa’s legal challenge, arguing that “the President cannot rely on litigation to suspend a constitutional accountability mechanism designed to scrutinise his own conduct.”
In its application, the EFF has asked the Constitutional Court to urgently set aside the High Court’s order, dismiss the application that suspended the impeachment process, and allow Parliament’s Section 89 inquiry to continue.
EFF deputy president Godrich Gardee says the party will argue that President Cyril Ramaphosa’s interdict against the impeachment inquiry is the same as interdicting SAPS investigations or the NPA when there is prima facie evidence. He says this will set a dangerous precedent,… pic.twitter.com/X7PfrxiYYA
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) July 29, 2026
The EFF has also applied for direct leave to appeal the High Court’s interim interdict and to formally join the matter alongside the ATM and its leader, Vuyo Zungula.
The party believes the Western Cape High Court unlawfully interfered with Parliament’s constitutional oversight role by stopping the inquiry before it could reach any findings.
The EFF maintains that Parliament must be allowed to determine whether grounds exist for impeachment under Section 89 of the Constitution and has asked the Constitutional Court to set aside the interdict so that the parliamentary committee can resume its work.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
