South Africa's Constitutional Court has ruled that Parliament acted unconstitutionally when it halted efforts to initiate impeachment proceedings against President Cyril Ramaphosa in 2022.

The ruling follows a legal challenge filed by opposition parties, who argued that lawmakers improperly blocked a process meant to examine serious allegations against the head of state.

At the centre of the case was a panel of legal experts that had previously found that Ramaphosa could potentially have a case to answer following a controversial burglary at his rural farm, where more than $500,000 in cash was reportedly stolen and hidden inside a sofa.

The incident sparked public scrutiny and raised questions over the source of the money and whether it had been properly declared.

President Ramaphosa denied any wrongdoing, maintaining that he had acted within the law.

Despite the controversy, impeachment proceedings were stopped after a parliamentary vote in which his party, the African National Congress (ANC), then held a majority in Parliament. That majority has since been lost following subsequent elections.

The court's decision now opens the door for renewed parliamentary consideration of the impeachment process, reinforcing the constitutional requirement that such proceedings must not be politically obstructed once properly triggered.

The judgment is seen as a significant ruling on the limits of parliamentary authority and the separation of powers in South Africa's democratic system.