Ramaphosa seeks to halt parliamentary impeachment inquiry pending court review of Phala Phala report
via The Citizen2 min read
President Cyril Ramaphosa has initiated urgent legal action to prevent a parliamentary impeachment inquiry into the Phala Phala scandal from proceeding. On June 12, 2026, Ramaphosa filed a notice of motion in the Western Cape High Court, seeking an order to stop the impeachment committee's work. This urgent application accompanies a broader legal challenge where the president is asking the court to review and set aside the findings of the Section 89 independent panel, chaired by former chief justice Sandile Ngcobo. That panel's report indicated prima facie evidence suggesting Ramaphosa has questions to answer regarding the theft of approximately $580,000 about R9.6 million from his Phala Phala game farm in February 2020. The legal moves follow a Constitutional Court ruling in May that found Parliament acted unlawfully in blocking impeachment proceedings in December 2022, leading to the establishment of the current impeachment committee. Ramaphosa argues that no proceedings should commence until his review application, scheduled for September 2-4, is concluded, stating that interim activity would cause substantial harm and undermine the effectiveness of the review. Separately, ActionSA filed criminal charges against Ramaphosa last month, alleging misrepresentation of the stolen amount, which they claim could be up to R15 million, and accusing him of violations of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act, perjury, and fraud. Criminal proceedings are also underway
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Online romance and sextortion scams continue to ensnare individuals, particularly men, despite numerous warnings. Scammers employ a manipulation strategy that involves building trust before exploitation. Psychologist Elize Thesner notes that perpetrators identify vulnerabilities in lonely, grieving, isolated individuals, or those seeking care. Scammers patiently build rapport, trust, and emotional connection, showing interest in their target's challenges. This leads to a carefully constructed relationship where victims emotionally invest in a non-existent future, viewing the scammer as a confidant and source of comfort. Psychologist and medical doctor Jonathan Redelinghuys explains that many victims seek intimacy in its broadest sense, not just sex. Sexual content often enters the relationship later, appearing as a natural progression. Emotional attachment can cloud judgment, making it difficult for victims to discern exploitation. Thesner adds that sexual attraction activates the brain's reward systems, reinforcing the relationship and making it harder for victims to recognize warning signs. Scammers also introduce stories of hardship to create a caregiving dynamic, making victims feel like helpers or rescuers. When the deception is exposed, shame becomes a powerful tool, as fear of public humiliation can outweigh financial losses. Thesner concludes that these scams exploit universal human needs like hope, affection, validation, and belonging, effectively weaponizing them.
Must ReadSextortion scams are on the rise again, moving beyond online solicitations to include real-world threats, according to private investigator Brad Nathanson. Victims, often men, are entrapped through adult websites or classified ads where they believe they are interacting with genuine sex workers. The scams can involve online chitchat or physical contact, with demands quickly escalating into threats against spouses, employers, and family members. Some victims are identified after visiting establishments, with their personal information obtained through illicit means. Nathanson cited a businessman who paid R650,000 before seeking help. Teenagers are also targeted, primarily through social media entrapment, as seen in a case where a boy was extorted with intimate pictures. Nathanson attributes the scams' continued success to victims' ego and their reluctance to involve law enforcement due to fear of exposure or further consequences. He advises victims to cut off communication immediately and never engage with unsolicited messages, as continued payments rarely resolve the situation and only encourage the extortionists.
The ANC's Eastern Cape branch is currently without leadership after the Eastern Cape High Court in Makhanda declared the appointment of the interim ANC provincial task team PTT invalid and set it aside. This ruling effectively leaves the party's Eastern Cape branch leaderless, as the previous provincial executive committee PEC was dissolved last month in favor of the now-nullified PTT. The party's decision to install the PTT was challenged by three aggrieved members, including Lwazi Rotya, a Ward 24 branch member, who argued that the appointment violated the ANC's constitution and infringed on their contractual rights. Judge Vuyokazi Pamella Noncembu criticized the ANC's conduct, stating that their behavior "strongly suggests a lack of bona fides" and that the issues could have been resolved without costly litigation if the ANC had been transparent with its members. The court also censured the ANC for presenting a contradictory version and a belated resolution to oppose the matter.