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South Africa's ANC executive closes ranks around Ramaphosa over "Farmgate" scandal, SABC reports

A meeting of the National Executive Committee of South Africa's African National Congress on Wednesday, 13 May 2026 resolved to close ranks around President Cyril Ramaphosa over his "Farmgate" scandal, public broadcaster SABC reported.

By Anathi Madubela and Sfundo Parakozov

14 May 2026

Source: Reuters.

The meeting supported Ramaphosa's decision to launch a legal challenge against an independent panel report that found evidence he committed misconduct, SABC politics reporter Samkele Maseko wrote in a post on X.

Ramaphosa earlier this week faced down calls to resign over the scandal, in which thieves stole bundles of cash stuffed in a sofa on Ramaphosa's ranch in 2020.

The ANC blocked impeachment proceedings against Ramaphosa over Farmgate in 2022 but the constitutional court revived the process last week.

The ANC's National Executive Committee, a decision-making body that guides members, met on Wednesday to discuss how to handle the scandal.

At the start of the meeting, a top ANC official threw his weight behind Ramaphosa, telling reporters that calls for Ramaphosa to step down were opportunistic and there was nothing in the constitutional court judgment that said Ramaphosa must resign.

Ramaphosa, head of state since 2018, has denied wrongdoing over Farmgate.

Source: Reuters

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