S. Africa rejects impeaching Ramaphosa

JOHANNESBURG — Lawmakers from South Africa’s governing African National Congress put their weight behind President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday, rejecting an effort to proceed with an impeachment inquiry over accusations that he broke the law in his response to the theft of a large sum of US currency from his farm.

The vote essentially kills an effort to remove Ramaphosa from office and lifts his political prospects just three days before the start of a national conference for his party, the ANC.

The ANC holds 230 of the 400 seats in Parliament, and his opponents fell far short of the 31 members they needed to break ranks and vote for impeachment hearings.

The report calling for impeachment hearings, issued by a panel appointed by Parliament, said that Ramaphosa may have violated the constitution and the law when he failed to tell the police about the breakin at his farm, and by conducting private business that conflicted with his duties as a public official.