EFF slams SARB’s ‘ridiculous’ decision to give Ramaphosa extension to answer on Phala Phala

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has slammed the South African Reserve Bank’s (SARB) decision to give President Cyril Ramaphosa another extension to answer questions about the robbery that took place at his Phala Phala farm in Limpopo in February 2020.

The SARB had initially given Ramaphosa 21 days to respond to its questions, but granted him another 15 working days.

The President was supposed to respond to the questions by end of today, but that did not happen.

Ramaphosa has reportedly been given another extension, a decision that has been highly criticised by the red berets.

“It is absolutely ridiculous that Ramaphosa has not accounted for the origins and underlying transactions of the millions of US dollars at Phala Phala Farm to the Reserve Bank,” said the EFF in a statement on Thursday.

“It is evidently clear that Ramaphosa has no intention to account for his criminality at the Phala Phala Farm, and has effectively not responded to the Parliament, the Reserve Bank and has co-opted the Office of the Public Protector not to release the Phala Phala report, which is 90 days overdue to be released.

“Ramaphosa did not declare the foreign currency to the Reserve Bank, and this is clear because they still seek to establish the origins of the money and underlying transactions of it. On this basis, the Reserve Bank ought to assist the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) with its investigation and declare that it has no knowledge of any foreign currency which was kept on Phala Phala Farm,” said the EFF.

This after Ramaphosa was given extensions by the office of the Pubic Protector.

ALSO READ: What Ramaphosa is accused of is not corruption, says Madonsela

Farmgate scandal

Ramaphosa has increasingly come under public pressure to come clean on the robbery at his Phala Phala farm, after former spy boss Arthur Fraser laid a criminal complaint against him in June of money laundering, kidnapping and corruption.

Fraser alleged that the president was involved in an elaborate cover-up of the crime after criminals – allegedly working in cahoots with his domestic worker – broke into his property and stole millions of US dollars in cash.

ALSO READ: Phala Phala: Ramaphosa only reported money was stolen a month later – report

He further claimed that the suspects were subsequently kidnapped, interrogated and bribed to keep quiet.

While Ramaphosa said he would cooperate with investigations, he denied any criminality on his part and maintained that the crime was reported to the Presidential Protection Unit.

Compiled by Vhahangwele Nemakonde. Additional reporting by Thapelo Lekabe