The Constitutional Court will deliver its long-awaited Phala Phala verdict on Friday. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) welcomed the announcement and described the development as a victory for accountability.

The apex court made the announcement on Tuesday. It will hand down judgment at 10:00 on 8 May 2026, more than 520 days after the EFF and African Transformation Movement (ATM) filed their application.

EFF Celebrates Phala Phala Verdict Announcement

The EFF expressed joy in a statement released on Tuesday. The party said it has remained the only consistent voice demanding accountability for the Phala Phala scandal since the beginning.

EFF and ATM approached the Constitutional Court in November 2024. They asked the court to order Parliament to implement the recommendations of the independent Section 89 panel report on the Phala Phala incident.

The panel found a prima facie case against President Cyril Ramaphosa. The case centres on the theft of approximately $580,000 in foreign currency from a couch at his Phala Phala game farm in Limpopo.

Background to the Phala Phala Scandal

The Phala Phala matter dates back to a 2020 burglary at the President’s Limpopo farm. Thieves stole the large sum of foreign currency that Ramaphosa later reported as hidden cash.

Parliament’s National Assembly voted against implementing the Section 89 panel’s recommendations while the ANC still held a majority. The EFF and ATM argue this decision was irrational and must now face constitutional scrutiny.

The Phala Phala verdict could send the report back to Parliament for fresh consideration and accountability processes.

EFF Demands Full Accountability

The EFF stated that many people continue to protect Ramaphosa and the image of the ANC. “The EFF has utilised every available constitutional avenue to ensure that no president is placed above the law,” the party said.

The party added that it regularly pushed for the speedy settlement of the case in court. It now awaits the Phala Phala verdict with the expectation that justice will prevail.

No other political parties have issued immediate public reactions to the court’s announcement.