Tshwarelo Hunter Mogakane
Pretoria - UDM leader Bantu Holomisa has requested the Section 89 independent panel into President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm burglary to investigate allegations that a top adviser to the head of state, Bejani Chauke, illegally brought millions of dollars to South Africa.
Holomisa made the request in line with the panel’s invitation for members of the National Assembly to submit any information that could be relevant to the investigation.
This week, the politician submitted a letter – believed to have been written by former spy boss Arthur Fraser – as additional information to assist the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation – or the Hawks – with the Phala Phala probe.
The document names one of Ramaphosa’s advisers as a person who was responsible for smuggling large sums of US dollars into South Africa from various countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Morocco and Equatorial Guinea.
In the June 23 letter, the Hawks are informed about the illegality of what transpired before the burglary at the Waterberg, Limpopo farm.
“The money was not declared to either the South African Revenue Services or the South African Reserve Bank and did not enter the formal banking system in this country,” says the letter.
The letter further states that Chauke allegedly used privately chartered flights, which requires an investigation into his movements and mode of transport.
“The adviser is said to have concealed the undisclosed amount of US (dollars) in one of his couches at his personal residence. This is the money that was stolen from the president’s farm on February 9, 2020 and not any money derived from the sale of animals and/or hunting game,” the letter says.
The letter suggested that the Hawks obtain Ramaphosa’s business records of animal sales and hunting that took place at Phala Phala and other farms between March 1, 2019 and February 29, 2020.
“Both the business banking records and personal banking records of the president for the (same period) must be obtained, detailing all credits and debits.
“The adviser clearly enjoys a lavish lifestyle far beyond that to be expected of a presidential adviser. It is prudent that a lifestyle audit be conducted into (his) affairs,” the letter says.
Holomisa called on the panel to scrutinise the 14-page letter and get to the truth. “From reading it, one concludes that Mr Fraser has provided the Hawks with additional, rather explosive, information regarding the whole matter in addition to his now well-publicised affidavit of June 1, 2022. The big question about where the money came from; the clarification from the Presidency that it was from the sale of animals seems to be disputed in the letter,” Holomisa said.
The MP told the panel that investigating the allegations would shed light on what happened at the president’s farm.
“This spine-chilling allegation, if true, shows that we are in much greater trouble than we thought if South African citizens can so easily transport foreign currency across our borders.
“It is clear that the veracity of the information provided, and the allegations made, in the letter should be investigated by the Independent Panel,” said Holomisa. “The Hawks should shed some light on what has transpired in terms of their actions taken subsequent to receiving this additional information. Such steps will surely be of assistance to the Independent Panel and their work,” he said. According to the UDM, there appeared to be a concerted effort to cover up what truly happened.
“After having read the information in this letter, it has become more apparent that, if it had not been for this independent panel’s formation and expected work, this whole incident might have been somehow swept under the carpet,” said Holomisa. Recently, there were social media reports claiming that one of the suspects in the burglary, Imanuwela David, was shot dead in Joburg.
When the Pretoria News approached the Hawks for comment on whether the rumours were true or not, the issue was referred to the police in Gauteng.
Hawks national spokesperson Brigadier Thandi Mbambo dismissed suggestions that David was a potential witness in their Phala Phala investigation.
“We have never as a directorate confirmed people of interest linked to the Phala Phala investigation, but if the said person has been allegedly killed, the station where the incident happened should be able to confirm such,” she said. Gauteng police spokesperson Colonel Noxolo Kweza referred questions to her colleague, Lieutenant-Colonel Mavela Masondo, who had not responded to questions sent to him over a week ago.
The questions, sent via WhatsApp, had long been read.
By the time of publication, the Pretoria News was still awaiting Chauke’s comment.
Pretoria News