President Cyril Ramaphosa allegedly refused to answer questions in Parliament about the robbery on his Phala Phala farm – Image: Twitter / PresidencyZA
President Cyril Ramaphosa allegedly refused to answer questions in Parliament about the robbery on his Phala Phala farm – Image: Twitter / PresidencyZA
Have the police been telling porkies about Phala Phala? A senior official’s response to a Parliamentary question this week would suggest that not everyone within SAPS is on the same page – and it could have devastating implications for Cyril Ramaphosa’s political future.
Who is lying about Phala Phala? Police accused of ‘cover-up’
According to a report carried by The Sunday Independent, police approved a response which declared that ‘no state resources’ had been spent on the Phala Phala farm theft. Burglars discovered millions of US Dollars at the Ramaphosa-owned property back in 2020.
With no suitable explanation as to why this foreign currency was laying idle at his residence, the pressure has been on the president to ‘come clean’ about his intentions. He now has until Thursday 8 September to provide his version of events to SA’s Central Bank.
The claims made against Ramaphosa and SAPS…
So, why are the police being accused of lying? Their claim about ‘no state resources’ going towards the Phala Phala saga don’t really stand up to scrutiny. EFF MP Mbuyiseni Ndlozi had asked law enforcement agencies if Crime Intelligence was involved in any capacity at all.
Despite their denials, there are a few things to consider:
- Two Crime Intelligence officers were reportedly dispatched to arrest one of the chief suspects, Immanuwela David.
- A grabber, which is used to track and ‘ping’ certain suspects, is understood to have been used in the search.
- One source who spoke to the Sunday Independent claims that a state vehicle was commissioned, and ‘per diems’ were paid to the officers.
Police allegedly caught lying about Phala Phala ‘cover-up’ – report
The Phala Phala scandal could potentially derail Ramaphosa’s bid for re-election at the ANC Electives later in the year. A pro-Zuma faction is already throwing its weight around, and Cyril is likely to face a stern test of his leadership credentials during the event.
The president’s decision to stay largely silent on the matter hasn’t helped quell speculation about wrongdoings, either. A row broke out last week about just how unforthcoming the ANC leader has been. Ramaphosa will, however, have to file some explanation before the 8 September deadline.
