South Africa’s President Rejects Resignation Calls After Court Ruling

(MENAFN) According to reports, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has stated that he will remain in office despite growing political pressure for him to step down following a Constitutional Court ruling linked to a stalled impeachment process.

In a televised address to the nation, Ramaphosa said, “While there have been calls in some circles that I should resign, nothing in the Constitutional Court’s judgment compels me to resign my office,” directly dismissing claims that the ruling obliges him to leave his position.

The controversy traces back to 2022, when an independent panel appointed by the National Assembly concluded that Ramaphosa may have committed serious misconduct connected to the handling of money stolen from his private game farm. The panel’s findings were part of broader parliamentary efforts to consider impeachment proceedings.

The case also relates to a 2020 incident in which burglars reportedly stole $580,000 in cash that had been concealed inside a sofa at Ramaphosa’s rural property. At the time, he did not report the theft to police, prompting criticism from opposition figures and public scrutiny over the origin of the funds.

Critics accused him of possible money laundering and demanded clarification about where the cash originated. Ramaphosa has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, maintaining that the stolen funds were “proceeds from the sale of game.”

“I have never stolen taxpayers’ money. I want to reaffirm that I was not involved in any criminal conduct,” he said previously, rejecting allegations against him.

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