Durban — Much like a wounded buffalo surrounded by a pride of hungry lionesses, President Cyril Ramaphosa is under increased pressure as calls for him to account for his stolen millions gained traction, with the DA asking the US government to probe allegations of money laundering at his Phala Phala farm.
At a press briefing held by the DA on Tuesday, the leader of the official opposition, John Steenhuisen, announced that his party had taken nine steps to ensure that Ramaphosa was held accountable for his alleged corrupt activities at the Limpopo estate.
This follows Ramaphosa’s refusal to disclose information regarding the criminal charges laid by former spy boss Arthur Fraser, who revealed that Ramaphosa, two years ago, concealed a burglary, and was allegedly involved in the kidnapping, torturing and bribing of Namibian nationals who stole millions of US dollars that were stashed in his farmhouse.
“It is alleged that President Ramaphosa committed money laundering, tax evasion, corruption, kidnapping, bribery, and contravened various other laws to recoup millions of dollars stolen from where they were hidden in a sofa on his Phala Phala game farm – and to then cover up this saga,” said Steenhuisen.
He further alleged that police were complicit as they were said to have been involved when senior officials conducted an “off the record” investigation, with no case opened by Ramaphosa, who apparently used state resources including the Presidential Protection Unit to chase after the Namibian nationals who stole the $4 million hidden in his furniture.
“The Namibian police confirmed last week that they had met with their South African counterparts on the border near Noordoewer, to share operational information pertaining to the theft and that they dropped the matter after the SAPS failed to produce a case number.
“But even though the case was never formally reported, two sources within Crime Intelligence have revealed that all the top SAPS leadership knew about the robbery and were involved in an off-the-record investigation and cover-up.”
As a result, the DA said that it had written to the US’s FBI (Pretoria Field Office) to request that they investigate allegations of possible money laundering by the president.
“Specifically, we have requested that the FBI considers investigating the source of the funds and whether the money was brought into South Africa legitimately and declared to the appropriate authorities.
“We have recommended that the ledgers or journals which would have recorded the alleged sale of wild game at auction be requested from the president, to determine the identities of those involved in the suspicious cash transactions. A cash transaction within South Africa involving $4 million is deeply suspicious, and more so since the cash was then hidden in furniture, and its theft investigated off the record and covered up,” said Steenhuisen.
The party disclosed that the other steps it had taken included asking the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) to investigate the various alleged financial transactions that followed from the theft, including the purchase of several luxury vehicles in cash.
“The FIC has a legislative mandate to identify the proceeds of crime in terms of the Financial Intelligence Centre Act of 2001.
“We have directed these same questions to the Tax Fraud Department at the South African Revenue Service and the Secretary of Cabinet. We have written to Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka, the Acting Public Protector, to lay a formal complaint in terms of the Executive Members Ethics Act and to request her to investigate the alleged breaches of the Executive Ethics Code.”
Among other steps, the DA said it had written to national police commissioner Fannie Masemola, asking him why Major-General Wally Rhoode was sent to Namibia and to reveal the cost of the “off-the-record” investigation.
“We have requested the chairperson of the portfolio committee on justice and correctional services, Mr Gratitude Magwanishe, to summon the Minister of Justice to explain why South Africa didn’t respond with a case number, and therefore assets had to be released. He has agreed in principle, pending permission from Parliament.
“We have written to the Minister of Public Works about the subsequent security upgrades at the president’s Phala Phala farm, and whether they were paid for, in full or part, using public funds.
“We have written to Tina Joemat-Pettersson, the chairperson of the portfolio committee overseeing the police, requesting that Major-General Wally Rhoode appears before the committee,” announced Steenhuisen.
Approached for comment, Presidency spokesperson Vincent Ngwenya refused to comment on the matter.
Independent political analyst Professor Sipho Seepe said the DA was actively forcing state institutions to do their job.
“There is a reasonable apprehension that law enforcement agencies are implicated. As such their ability to investigate this matter without fear is questionable. Ramaphosa may have fooled many people by presenting himself as holier than thou. Reality has caught up with him. He made the bed, he must lie in it,” said Seepe.
Sharing his view, analyst Dr Metji Makgoba said that if the DA appeared to have no confidence in Ramaphosa it showed that the centre was no longer holding.
“The allegations have hit the centre of Ramaphosa’s political life and the DA covered all the aspects of the law that need to be answered; however, one must not underestimate the person of Ramaphosa because he may use his political influence to fight back.”
Makgoba added that the silence of senior members of the ANC indicated that Ramaphosa still had influence but argued that Ramaphosa would need a political miracle to fight off the scandal.
Daily News