Constitutional Court Rejects Ramaphosa's Challenge To Phala Phala Report

South Africa's Constitutional Court unanimously rejected President Cyril Ramaphosa's bid to invalidate a report produced by a Section 89 panel, which found that he may have violated the constitution in relation with the so-called Phala Phala scandal.

• The publication of the report triggered a political crisis in South Africa last year, putting Ramaphosa's political career at risk and reportedly prompting him to briefly consider resignation.
• Ramaphosa managed to cling onto power as the ANC defended him in a parliamentary vote on the report, with just a handful of ruling party lawmakers defecting to support launching an impeachment probe.
• Days before the key parliamentary vote, Ramaphosa challenged the Section 89 panel report in the Constitutional Court. News24 reports that following today's verdict he "will have to turn to the High Court if he wishes to challenge the report."
• The verdict comes in handy for the opposition, which will likely ramp up attacks on Ramaphosa and question his credibility during what is a politically busy period in South Africa.