The Constitutional Court is expected to hand down its long-awaited Phala Phala judgment within weeks, as the Economic Freedom Fighters intensifies pressure over delays exceeding 480 days since the case was heard.
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The Constitutional Court says it is at an advanced stage in preparing its long-awaited judgment on the Phala Phala matter.
Constitutional Court Chief Registrar Simoné-Lanique Tjamela, in response to the EFF, said that the preparation of the judgment is at an advanced stage, and its delivery is expected within a month.
The report relates to a February 2020 burglary at Ramaphosa’s Limpopo farm, where millions in foreign currency were allegedly stolen.
The EFF has criticised the delay, noting that more than 480 days have passed since the hearing - far exceeding the judiciary’s guideline that judgments should generally be delivered within three months, unless exceptional circumstances apply.
On Wednesday morning, the EFF protested outside the Constitutional Court.
The case, heard on November 26, 2024, centres on the EFF’s bid to revive the Phala Phala saga.
The party approached the apex court in 2024 to challenge Parliament’s December 2022 decision not to adopt the Section 89 panel report, which found that President Cyril Ramaphosa may have a case to answer.
In a further escalation, the party’s Gauteng leadership was protesting outside the Constitutional Court at Constitutional Hill in Braamfontein earlier on Wednesday.
Gauteng provincial chairperson Nkululeko Dunga said the delay raises serious concerns about accountability within the judiciary.
“The EFF remains unwavering in its commitment to transparency, accountability and the defence of the rule of law,” Dunga said, calling for the immediate release of the ruling.
The protest follows a letter from EFF leader Julius Malema to Chief Justice Mandisa Maya, in which he demanded clarity on what the party described as an “unacceptable delay”.
Malema warned that the prolonged wait risks eroding public confidence in the judiciary and weakening constitutional accountability.
At the centre of the dispute is the case Economic Freedom Fighters v Speaker of the National Assembly and Others, which examines how Parliament handled the Phala Phala matter.
The case is among the most closely watched constitutional matters in recent years, given its implications for executive accountability and parliamentary oversight.
The Phala Phala saga has remained in the political spotlight since it emerged, raising ongoing questions about executive conduct, foreign currency dealings and the handling of investigations.
Although parliamentary and legal processes have attempted to address the issue, the absence of a Constitutional Court ruling has left a gap that opposition parties argue is damaging public trust in key institutions.
IOL Politics