South Africa's Ramaphosa likely to avoid impeachment over "Farmgate" after ANC backs him

How it happened: It emerged in June that in 2020 burglars allegedly stole a huge sum of cash that had been stuffed into a couch at Ramaphosa's private ranch.

• That raised questions about where Ramaphosa got the money (he says it came from selling buffalo and was far less than the $4 million originally reported), why it was hidden in a couch, why it hadn't been declared, and why instead of reporting the theft he reportedly sent members of his security detail to track down the perpetrators.
• The panel tasked with investigating the matter did not find Ramaphosa's explanations satisfactory, but ANC leaders instructed their lawmakers Monday to vote against impeachment, meaning he'll likely avoid becoming the first president ever impeached in South Africa.

• Ramaphosa also asked the constitutional court to dismiss the report.

The big picture: Ramaphosa, a former confidante of Nelson Mandela who made a fortune in business before returning to politics, had been seen as a reformer in a party tainted by corruption scandals, and as the ANC's best chance of reversing its downward political slide ahead of the 2024 election.