Hawks arrest two suspects for Phala Phala farm robbery

Two suspects have been arrested in connection with the housebreaking and theft that happened at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm, where money was stolen in 2020.

The Hawks spokesperson, Colonel Katlego Mogale, said the two suspects, aged 39 and 30, will make their first appearance in the Bela Bela Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday after their arrests on Sunday and Monday, respectively, on charges of housebreaking and theft.

“The pair was arrested in Rustenburg and Bela Bela, respectively, by the members of the National Serious Corruption Investigation [unit] in relation to the Phala Phala farm break in February 2020,” said Mogale.

The Hawks added that the arrest of the third suspect is imminent.

Cash stolen from Phala Phala farm

The president faced political pressure after former spy boss Arthur Fraser filed a complaint with the police in June, alleging that the president had covered up the theft of $580 000 from his farm.

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Ramaphosa previously claimed to have received $580 000 from Sudanese businessman Hazim Mustafa as payment for livestock.

Fraser also alleged that the president’s head of security, Wally Rhoode, and his advisor, Bejani Chauke, had tried to conceal the incident.

Ramaphosa cleared of wrongdoing in past

In August, the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) cleared Ramaphosa of wrongdoing on whether foreign exchange control rules were broken by Ramaphosa since the cash stolen from the president’s farm in Limpopo was in US dollars.

The report found that Ramaphosa did not violate the Exchange Control Regulations.

According to the Reserve Bank, the conclusion was reached on the basis that Ramaphosa’s company, which manages the Phala Phala game farm, was not “legally entitled” to the foreign currency.

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It said the president or Ntaba Nyoni Estate had no legal obligation to declare the cash as required by law because the buffalo was never delivered to Mustafa.

In June, the Office of the Public Protector also cleared Ramaphosa of wrongdoing.

Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka upheld similar findings from her preliminary report in March, which concluded that there was no proof Ramaphosa was actively involved in the running of game farm or had received remuneration.