Phala Phala: ‘Selling animals is not money laundering’, Ramaphosa tells Parliament

President Cyril Ramaphosa has denied allegations of money laundering in relation to the Phala Phala farm robbery.

Ramaphosa was answering MPs’ oral questions in the National Assembly on Thursday.

‘Game farmer’

During the proceedings, parliamentarians experienced some disruptions. However, this did not deter Ramaphosa as he maintained his innocence.

He alleged that the stash of money in foreign currency found at his Phala Phala farm in Limpopo was from gaming proceeds and insisted that the police were investigating the February 2020 burglary.

“They are dealing with it… I deny that there was any form of money laundering. I have said publicly that it was proceeds of sale of game.

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“I have disclosed that I have been a game farmer for a number of years and that is an activity that sometimes results in the sale of animals such as cattle and buffalo. That is [a] matter that takes place from time to time,” he said.

The president, who has long denied any criminal conduct on his part, stated that he was of the view that game farming was “not money laundering” and he would “subject myself to all manner of investigations and processes”.

“I will cooperate to the fullest of my ability. The other time I counted there were up to seven or eight authorities that are looking into this,” Ramaphosa told MPs. 

The African Transformational Movement (ATM) has long argued that Ramaphosa violated certain sections of the Constitution, including Section 96(2)(a) which states that Cabinet members and deputy ministers may not “undertake any other paid work”.

“In his own words, the president has confirmed that he is actively running his farming business and thus, contrary to the provisions of the Constitution as cited above, the president is doing other paid work.

“The evidence of this confirmation of a violation of the Constitution is in the attached YouTube clip.

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“This also means the president misled the nation when in 2014, on assuming office as deputy president, he said that a blind trust would manage all his business interests,” ATM president Vuyo Zungula said in June.

Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen then asked Ramaphosa why there was no case number recorded of the Phala Phala theft despite the president stating that he reported the incident to a major general of the South African Police Service (Saps).

“Processes will unfold. In the end the police general will be able to answer that question,” the president responded.

Earlier this month, the South African Reserve Bank (Sarb) gave Ramaphosa another extension to answer questions about the robbery.

Investigations

The Hawks have processed at least 41 affidavits regarding the robbery and the Public Protector’s office is investigating whether Ramaphosa violated the Executive Members’ Ethics Code by not reporting the robbery to the police.

In addition, an independent will determine whether the president has a prima facie case to answer to with regard to Phala Phala.

The three-person panel, which has now fully been appointed, will be subject to a process that may lead to his removal from office in terms of Section 89 of the Constitution and Rule 129A-Q of the National Assembly Rules.

The panel has been given 30 days to complete its work.

Meanwhile, opposition parties in Parliament are also expected to bring a motion of no confidence against Ramaphosa.

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