Ramaphosa cleared of Phala Phala scandal

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was cleared of any wrongdoing in the Phala Phala farm robbery scandal. 

The Office of the Public Protector on Saturday morning filed that Ramaphosa fulfilled his obligation to declare his interests in the farm and reported the matter to the police. 

Acting Public Protector, advocate Kholeka Gcaleka, circulated a report to all parties involved in the matter regarding their inputs on the scandal. 

Gcaleka wrote that she found no basis to conclude that Ramaphosa violated the Executive Ethics code. 

“The allegation that the President improperly and in violation of the provisions of the Executive Ethics Code exposed himself to any risk of a conflict between his constitutional duties and obligations and his private interests arising from or affected by his alleged paid work in Phala farm is not substantiated,” writes Gcaleka in the report.

Gcaleka added that there was no evidence to prove that the President was involved in the daily running of the farm in question. 

The Phala Phala robbery scandal was brought to light in 2022, following an incident that took place at a game farm near Bela-Bela, in Limpopo. 

The incident occurred on 9 February 2020 in which a large amount of cash was stolen.

Former president Jacob Zuma’s ally Arthur Fraser alleged that an amount of four million dollars (R60 million), which was undeclared, had been stolen. 

Ramaphosa, while declaring his innocence, said an amount of R10 million was paid to the farm in exchange for three buffaloes, which remain on the farm currently. 

Pictured above: Cyril Ramaphosa

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