ATM Demands Ramaphosa Impeachment: New IPID Evidence Ignites Phala Phala Firestorm

PRETORIA — The African Transformation Movement (ATM) has officially reignited the push to remove President Cyril Ramaphosa from office, formally petitioning the Speaker of the National Assembly on Friday to initiate Section 89 impeachment proceedings. The move follows the bombshell declassification of a 2023 report by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID), which ATM leader Vuyo Zungula claims provides "corroborated proof" of constitutional breaches that Parliament can no longer ignore.

In his letter to the Speaker, Zungula highlights a critical piece of evidence, an affidavit from Major-General Wally Rhoode, head of the Presidential Protection Unit. The ATM argues the document suggests Rhoode acted on direct instructions linked to the President to "attend to the matter and report back" following the 2020 theft of R9 million (US$580,000) at the Phala Phala farm.

The ATM contends that this instruction triggered a "parallel and unlawful" investigation characterized by:

• Forced Silence: Allegations of bribery paid to suspects to conceal the burglary.

• Abuse of State Power: The use of VIP protection resources for a private business matter.

• Criminal Concealment: The failure to open a formal case docket, effectively hiding the crime from public and parliamentary scrutiny for years.

  
  

"The political heads that gave an unlawful instruction... must take responsibility, and that person is President Ramaphosa," Zungula stated.

The ATM’s request calls for the immediate activation of Rule 129A, which would see the appointment of an independent panel to assess if the President has a case to answer. This is not the first time Ramaphosa has faced such a threat. In December 2022, an independent panel led by former Chief Justice Sandile Ngcobo found prima facie evidence of misconduct. However, the ANC majority famously "closed ranks," voting 214 to 148 against adopting the report and blocking an impeachment inquiry.

The ATM argues that the newly released IPID findings, which detail how Rhoode "name-dropped" the President to bypass security protocols, provide the missing link that was not fully established in 2022.

For observers in Harare and across SADC, the Phala Phala saga represents a critical test of South Africa’s institutional independence. The case has already seen the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) decline to prosecute the President, leading to accusations from opposition parties like ActionSA and the EFF of a "systematic whitewash."

As the Speaker considers the ATM's letter, the focus remains on whether the Government of National Unity (GNU) will uphold its promises of transparency or if political survival will once again trump constitutional accountability.

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