By Marcus Moloko
The Economic Freedom Fighters, led by Julius Malema, staged a march to the Constitutional Court in Braamfontein on Friday, demanding the release of a long-awaited judgment in the Phala Phala scandal involving President Cyril Ramaphosa.
The protest comes a year after the EFF approached the apex court to challenge Parliament’s decision to dismiss the findings of an Independent Panel Report that suggested Ramaphosa may have breached his oath of office.
The case involves the alleged theft of approximately R 10 million in foreign currency from Ramaphosa’s Limpopo farm in February 2020. The money, allegedly hidden in furniture, was stolen by suspects including Immanuela David and siblings Froliana and Ndilinasho Joseph, who face charges of housebreaking, theft, and conspiracy.
An Independent Panel Report, released in late 2022, found prima facie evidence that Ramaphosa may have violated his oath of office in his handling of the matter.
The EFF argues that the delay is not only unacceptable but also indicative of bias in protecting the highest office in the land.
“It’s just a sign of incompetence and a sign of protecting the highest office. The crime that was committed by the president is not small, it’s money laundering, it’s harassing people,” party spokesperson Thembi Msane said.
The party insists that the Constitutional Court must act swiftly to restore confidence in the judiciary and ensure accountability at the highest levels of government.
While the Constitutional Court insists the delay is due to workload, the EFF views it as a failure to uphold the principle that justice must be timely.
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