Phala Phala Scandal

                                ‘Hurricane’ Phala Phala

The biggest political storm to smash into democratic South Africa will possibly also rip into the police service and tear up some cop careers in its path.

In June 2022, former SSA boss Arthur Fraser lodged a criminal complaint against President Cyril Ramaphosa whom a panel has found may have violated the law relating to millions of US dollars stolen in an allegedly unreported robbery at his Phala Phala farm in Limpopo. The events took place  in 2020.

Months after Fraser lodged his complaint, Ipid issued a statement confirming it was looking into Phala Phala-related matters, as were the Hawks.

Ipid said it would look into the alleged actions of police officers in terms of SAPS regulations, “while the Hawks is investigating the criminal element by the SAPS officials, which include, among others, defeating the ends of justice and kidnapping”. The report found the allegation that the president had violated the Executive Ethics Code and that there was a conflict of interest between his business interests and his constitutional obligations “is not substantiated.”

The public protector’s investigators could not find evidence showing that Ramaphosa was “actively involved in the day-to-day operations of Ntaba Nyoni or Phala Phala farm”. 

“Therefore, the evidence before the public protector does not support the allegation that the president’s financial interests in game and cattle farming at Phala Phala farm exposes him to any situation involving the risk of a conflict between his official responsibilities and his private interests.”

Turning to the allegation that Ramaphosa was undertaking paid work while in office, the report found that there was no evidence to support this.

“The public protector finds that to have a financial interest in a business is distinguishable from working, being employed and receiving remuneration for contributing to the operations of the business.”

In light of this, the public protector found there was no basis upon which to conclude that Ramaphosa had contravened the ethics code. Ramaphosa also played “no role” in the sale of buffalo to Sudanese billionaire Mustafa Mohamed Ibrahim Hazim for $580 000 (based on the exchange rate at the time) on 26 December 2019, according to the report.