ConCourt rejects ATM's appeal to revive Ramaphosa impeachment

The Constitutional Court has dismissed the African Transformation Movement's (ATM) plea to expedite an appeal against a Western Cape High Court order that temporarily halted impeachment proceedings against President Cyril Ramaphosa. The Western Cape High Court prevented impeachment committee members from proceeding with public hearings until the outcome of President Ramaphosa's review application, which aims to overturn the independent panel's report concluding that he had a case to answer.

The ATM leader, Vuyo Zungula, had applied to the Constitutional Court for permission to directly appeal the matter. However, in a ruling released on Wednesday, the apex court stated that the finalization of Ramaphosa's review application would render the interim interdict unnecessary. The court examined the applications for leave to appeal directly and to file a replying affidavit, concluding that there was no valid case for either.

Furthermore, the court determined that it was not in the best interest of justice to hear the matter at this juncture, given the imminent resolution of the review application in the Western Cape Division of the High Court. As a result, the court denied both applications for a replying affidavit and direct appeal to the Constitutional Court.

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), the MK Party, and the United Africans Transformation (UAT) joined forces with the ATM in court, attempting to overturn the interim interdict imposed by the Western Cape High Court, which temporarily stalled Parliament's impeachment inquiry into President Ramaphosa.