President Cyril Ramaphosa's legal team has argued that a public hearing to assess the validity of the panel report underpinning his impeachment would be unjust.

In an urgent application to the Western Cape High Court, Ramaphosa's advocates requested a stay of the impeachment process until the court reviews the panel report, which was deemed unlawful due to fundamental flaws.

The Constitutional Court's recent ruling invalidated the National Assembly's rule that had previously blocked the impeachment motion, prompting Ramaphosa to challenge the legality of the panel's report.

His counsel emphasized that the panel overlooked the requirement for the president to have acted in bad faith, a critical criterion under National Assembly rules.

The legal battle highlights tensions between the executive and legislative branches, with Ramaphosa's team asserting that the impeachment process is part of a prolonged effort by political adversaries to remove him from office.

The court has scheduled hearings from September 2 to 4 to determine the validity of the panel report, with Ramaphosa's application seeking only a temporary pause in proceedings.This case underscores the complexities of constitutional governance and the risks of public humiliation for leaders facing legal challenges.