A majority of South Africa’s parliament voted against the impeachment of President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday. This is reported by international news agencies. Ramaphosa has been under fire since the end of November after the publication of a damning corruption report, which showed that the president had kept some $ 4 million (3.8 million euros) in cash in a couch at home for no good explanation.
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After the report was published, some members of Ramaphosa’s governing party ANC seemed inclined to agree to an impeachment procedure. The party unanimously expressed support for the president last Tuesday after days of crisis deliberations. On Tuesday, 214 MPs voted against impeaching Ramaphosa, 148 were in favour. Protesters of impeachment included four members of the ANC despite the support agreement, while some of Ramaphosa’s other party members decided not to vote.
Ramaphosa alleges the corruption scandal dubbed ‘farmgate’ full of having earned the hidden money from the sale of his cattle. On his farm he raises rare Ankole cattle and game animals, including African buffalo, sable antelope and impala. He denies all allegations of corruption and has decided to challenge the report in the South African Supreme Court.
The ANC’s five-yearly congress begins on Friday. Then the party also determines who will be the new presidential candidate. The outcome of Tuesday’s vote increases the chances of Ramaphosa being re-elected as presidential candidate. The 70-year-old businessman has been president of South Africa since 2018.