South Africa in May 2026: the most important developments in politics
In South Africa in May 2026, the impeachment process against President Cyril Ramaphosa dominated politics. On 8 May the country's top court overturned a parliamentary vote that had blocked impeachment proceedings against him and ordered Parliament to reconsider the process. The matter concerns the Phala Phala farm scandal, also called Farmgate, which involves allegations of money laundering and theft at the president's game farm. Pressure grew on the Government of National Unity, with one lawmaker asking whether the coalition would act for South Africans or for itself. A parliamentary committee was reported to be set to examine Ramaphosa's conduct, and he was recused when the ANC met to discuss the impeachment.
On 12 May Ramaphosa refused to resign and was reported to be betting on a legal review to stall the proceedings. On 26 May he took the Phala Phala report to court in an effort to stop Parliament from proceeding with a vote on his removal.
Other developments were smaller. The US and South Africa held talks on mining and energy partnerships after a year of tensions, and Ramaphosa made an unannounced visit to Zimbabwe. On 12 May the top court banned repeat asylum applications, and the ANC unveiled a plan to overhaul local government ahead of the November municipal elections.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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