DA want Sars, Reserve Bank to probe Ramaphosa’s game farm millions

The DA says it will write to the South African Revenue Service (Sars) and the SA Reserve Bank (Sarb), requesting an investigation into the alleged theft of $4 million (R61.8 million) in cash at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s farm in Limpopo.

Ramaphosa farm theft

DA leader John Steenhuisen on Friday said the party would write to Sars Commissioner Edward Kieswetter, calling for a probe into whether the alleged millions of US dollars were declared, and whether it carries tax implications as per the Income Tax Act and Tax Administration Act.

Secondly, the DA would write to the Sarb to ascertain whether the sum of foreign currency pertained to an illicit flow of funds and potential money laundering on the part of Ramaphosa, as per the Currency and Exchanges Act of 1933.

ALSO READ: Arthur Fraser lays criminal charges against Ramaphosa

Ramaphosa has come under scrutiny after this week’s explosive revelations by the State Security Agency’s (SSA) former director-general Arthur Fraser.

Fraser on Wednesday laid a criminal complaint against the president, accusing him of breaching the Prevention of Organised Crime Act by not reporting the robbery at his Limpopo-based Phala Phala farm in 2020.

He further claimed the suspects who broke into Ramaphosa’s property were subsequently kidnapped, interrogated, and paid off to keep silent.

The Presidency on Thursday confirmed that the robbery did indeed take place on or around 9 February 2020, in which proceeds from the sale of game were stolen.

Ramaphosa’s newly appointed spokesperson Vincent Magwenya denied claims of criminal conduct on the part of the president, and that the amount of foreign currency that the burglars were caught stealing was in the region of $4 million.

READ MORE: Why did Ramaphosa have $4 million cash stashed on his game farm?

‘More questions than answers’

While Steenhuisen said the DA did not want to get involved in the ANC’s factional battles, he said the robbery at Ramaphosa’s farm raised more questions than answers.

The DA leader said South Africans deserved to know the truth behind the transaction and his party would ensure that the matter did not become “another ANC cover-up”.

“The DA will not be pulled into the ANC’s factional battles, however, we still have a duty to the republic to ensure that even the president is not above the rule of law.

“There are many holes in this story that need to be filled,” Steenhuisen said in a statement.

Fraser’s motives questioned

Meanwhile, Magwenya questioned the timing and motive of the allegations against Ramaphosa by Fraser.

“Let’s see what comes out of this investigation as a result of Mr Fraser’s charge. 

“For the president it’s also interesting to note that Mr Fraser was part of the security cluster, he had access to the president. He still would have had access after he left public office to the president, and it is very unclear as to why he will go public and press charges,” he said in an interview with Talk Radio 702 on Thursday.

Magwenya also said while the president reported the incident to the head of the Presidential Protection Unit of the Saps for investigation, he did not want to make a public spectacle about it because he wanted to avoid panic and anxiety within the farming community.

Compiled by Thapelo Lekabe. Additional reporting by Faizel Patel

NOW READ:  Cyril Ramaphosa in the RET crosshairs