Carl Niehaus is calling for South Africans to picket outside the Constitutional Court ahead of today's judgement
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South Africa’s political temperature is rising sharply ahead of Friday’s highly anticipated Constitutional Court judgment in the Phala Phala matter, with former ANC stalwart and MK Party member Carl Niehaus calling on supporters of the Economic Freedom Fighters to descend on the apex court in Braamfontein to demand accountability from President Cyril Ramaphosa.
The Constitutional Court is expected to deliver judgment in the matter of Economic Freedom Fighters and Another v Speaker of the National Assembly and Others (CCT 35/24), a case that could have major legal and political consequences for Ramaphosa and Parliament’s handling of the Phala Phala scandal as reported by IOL.
In a fiery social media post issued ahead of the ruling, which is expected at 10am, Niehaus framed the case as a defining moment for South Africa’s democracy and judicial credibility.
“Today is a very important day, with the upcoming judgement this morning by the Constitutional Court, in the matter of Economic Freedom Fighters and Another v Speaker of the National Assembly and Others (CCT 35/24),” Niehaus wrote.
He claimed the judgment would test whether South Africa’s legal system had been compromised by political influence.
“This ruling will reveal how far the rot of the capture of our legal system has gone, and the extent to which the Constitutional Court (our apex court) has also been captured, or not,” he stated.
Niehaus also urged South Africans to join an EFF-led picket outside the Constitutional Court from 7am on Friday morning.
“It is very important that all of us who possibly can, should join the EFF picket this morning at the Constitutional Court to demand justice, and that Cyril Ramaphosa should not be protected, but be held accountable.”
He added, “I will certainly be there, please join us together with thousands of EFF Commissars and Fighters!”
The picket is expected to draw EFF supporters, MK Party members and anti-Ramaphosa activists as tensions continue to build around the long-running Phala Phala controversy.
At the centre of the matter is Parliament’s controversial decision in 2022 not to proceed with impeachment proceedings against Ramaphosa after an independent Section 89 panel found prima facie evidence that the President may have committed serious constitutional violations.
The panel, chaired by former Chief Justice Sandile Ngcobo, found prima facie evidence suggesting Ramaphosa may have violated anti-corruption laws, abused his office and failed to properly disclose foreign currency concealed at his Phala Phala game farm in Limpopo.
The EFF subsequently approached the Constitutional Court, arguing that the National Assembly failed to properly fulfil its constitutional oversight responsibilities when it voted against adopting the panel’s report.
Today’s judgment is therefore expected to determine whether Parliament acted lawfully in shielding the President from a possible impeachment inquiry.
The ruling also comes amid growing political pressure on Ramaphosa from opposition parties and former allies, particularly the MK Party, which has increasingly aligned itself with EFF criticism of the President and state institutions.
On Thursday, the MK Party issued its own blistering statement accusing the judiciary and state institutions of participating in a “cover-up” to protect Ramaphosa from accountability.
The party further warned that failure to hold the President accountable would deepen public perceptions that South Africa’s justice system selectively targets some political figures while protecting others.
The comparison to former president Jacob Zuma has become central to opposition messaging ahead of the ruling.
Niehaus echoed this broader sentiment in his mobilisation call, which included slogans backing EFF leader Julius Malema and the party’s revolutionary rhetoric.
As the country waits for the Constitutional Court to hand down its judgment, the ruling is expected to have implications far beyond the courtroom. It could reshape the political landscape ahead of the 2026 local government elections and reignite fierce debate over constitutional accountability, parliamentary oversight and the credibility of South Africa’s democratic institutions.
IOL News