New case ‘doesn’t increase the dangers’ for Ramaphosa – expert

Pressure over the crime and corruption allegations against President Cyril Ramaphosa continues to mount as voices grow louder for him to come clean on what happened at his game farm two years ago.

ANC “ambassador” Carl Niehaus on Monday opened “supporting charges” of money laundering, kidnapping and corruption against Ramaphosa at the Rosebank police station to run alongside those registered by former State Security Agency director-general Arthur Fraser.

The new case emerged just as the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (the Hawks) confirmed it had appointed senior investigators to Fraser’s complaint. Hawks spokesperson Brigadier Thandi Mbambo said the Hawks were not investigating the farm robbery but “allegations of corruption, money laundering and kidnapping”.

When asked who was investigating the 2020 robbery, Mbambo said she did not know.

“I am not even sure if a case was opened,” she said. Niehaus said as ANC members and South African citizens, they wanted to register their outrage of Ramaphosa and his alleged crimes.

He also wanted to “hold Ramaphosa accountable” and as part of their campaign force him to resign as ANC president and of the country. Ramaphosa, however, has refused to budge.

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“I’m a process person, the process must unfold, but I will, however, say that if I would be charged, yes processes in the governing party have to unfold in the ANC,” he said, alluding to the ANC’s step-aside rule.

Political economy analyst Daniel Silke said the allegations were coming from a particular grouping within the ANC – given how Niehaus added his own charges. He said it was that faction looking to undermine Ramaphosa and to potentially prevent him from standing for another term in December.

“It adds to the noise to remove Ramaphosa but it does not necessarily mean the charges are any more serious now, coming from a second individual, than they were coming from one individual.”

“It doesn’t increase the dangers for Ramaphosa but it actually shows the faction within the ANC and flushes it out in the open, exposing the individuals who are willing to take this course of action against Ramaphosa,” he said.

Silke noted it was more “cosmetic than having any real bearing” – but the initial allegations from Fraser should be investigated. It was necessary for Ramaphosa to provide to South Africa an explanation of what happened, Silke said.

“That is important but Niehaus was on the periphery of the ANC for these additional allegations not to have any meaningful effect over and above the original allegations of Fraser,” he said.

With the time period question on why it took so long for Fraser and Niehaus to disclose information, Silke said it was clear with the upcoming ANC national elective conference for “any dirt to be dug up, this would be the time to do so”.

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He said these were two-year old problems which had sat dormant within the ANC.

“And it was no coincidence it was all occurring when the final Zondo commission report is about to be made public and there were certainty increasing threats of legal action pending against a number of senior ANC officials,” Silke added.

“The timing is of this is linked to the Zondo commission, Ramaphosa’s defence and position at the end of the year.”

– lungas@citizen.co.za