President Cyril Ramaphosa's legal battle against parliamentary impeachment proceedings has entered a critical phase, with the Western Cape High Court set to deliver its judgment on an urgent application seeking to halt the process by next week.

The court's decision will determine whether the impeachment committee can proceed with its investigation into allegations that Ramaphosa violated constitutional protocols during the 2020 Phala Phala farm theft scandal.

A three-judge bench, including Justice Andre Le Grange, is reviewing whether an interim interdict should be granted to pause proceedings pending a review of an independent panel's findings.The panel, comprising retired judges and legal experts, concluded that there was prima facie evidence of constitutional breaches.

Ramaphosa's legal team argues the court has no jurisdiction over the matter, as the Constitutional Court already referred the report to the committee in May.However, the president seeks to delay proceedings to challenge the panel's findings, emphasizing the potential humiliation of a public trial.The review application will be heard in September, with the court reserving judgment on the interdict request.