South Africa’s highest court has set aside lawmakers’ vote to reject a report that found credible evidence of wrongdoing by President Cyril Ramaphosa related to a long-running cash scandal, paving the way for impeachment proceedings against him.

The Constitutional Court ruling means the report must now be referred to an impeachment committee for a full investigation, which may decide to vote on impeaching Ramaphosa.

Ramaphosa survived a motion to face impeachment proceedings in 2022, when lawmakers from his African National Congress (ANC) party voted to reject a scathing report that recommended a full investigation into the theft of approximately $580,000 that were found stashed in a couch at his Phala Phala game farm.

However, the recent court decision has altered this outcome and now opens the door for further action.

In delivering the ruling, Chief Justice Mandisa Maya stated: "In the event that the panel (of inquiry) concludes that sufficient evidence exists, the matter must be referred to the impeachment committee".

This implies that the impeachment process may advance if the committee finds evidence of wrongdoing on Ramaphosa's part.

Julius Malema, the leader of the opposition Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), has called for Ramaphosa to immediately resign and for impeachment proceedings against him to begin.

His party was one of the opposition parties that took the matter to court, accusing ANC lawmakers of using their parliamentary majority to shield Ramaphosa from accountability.

Ramaphosa has denied any wrongdoing, claiming that the cash was proceeds from the sale of buffalos at his farm.

He stated he had reported the theft to the head of his security but a parliamentary inquiry rejected his version and recommended further investigation by an impeachment committee.

The scandal has been a political headache for Ramaphosa, with opposition parties demanding his resignation.

Though Ramaphosa survived the motion while his party still held a parliamentary majority, this situation changed in the 2024 elections when the ANC lost its parliamentary majority for the first time since it came to power in 1994.

Ramaphosa is currently serving his last term as president.

He has also been accused of tax evasion, money laundering, and breaching currency laws regarding why money for a legitimate business would be hidden in a couch.

Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Vincent Magwenya stated that the president maintains his commitment to the rule of law and will cooperate fully with any inquiries into this matter.

Ramaphosa has consistently claimed that he is not above the law and supports due process.

Two previous probes by the reserve bank and a public watchdog have already cleared Ramaphosa of wrongdoing.