Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm hosts Ankole livestock auction

President Cyril Ramaphosa is hosting an Ankole livestock auction at his Phala Phala farm in Limpopo on Saturday amid recent controversies.

The Ankole Society of South Africa will be leading the auction.

A gala dinner for those who are part of the Anokole breeding society was held at the farm on Friday ahead of the much-anticipated livestock auction.

An Ankole cattle farmer, Chief Livhuwani Matsila, told SABC News the animals will range anywhere from R100,000 to R3 million on the South African market and in auctions.

WATCH: EFF releases videos allegedly showing $4 million robbery at Ramaphosa’s farm

“The physical build of a bull, for instance, and length of the horns can make a bull or a cow very expensive in the market, that is why there is no average price for them.

“Even a young calf can cost close to R2 million as seen in the last auction. There is also the consideration that this cow will give you a calf every year,” Matsila said.

According to Ramaphosa, about 15 farmers will be auctioning their livestock to the market.

“This will be an auction for cows and not wild animals. Sixteen breeders, including me, will be selling our own cattle at the auction. There is nothing more special about it, this is an auction that takes place all the time,” he said in an interview with Umhlobo Wenene on Youth Day.

Farmgate scandal

The auctions takes place amid Ramaphosa being under fire over $4 million robbery at the farm.

The February 2020 robbery emerged after former State Security Agency (SSA) director-general Arthur Fraser laid criminal charges against Ramaphosa earlier this month.

While the crime was not reported to the South African Police Service (Saps), Ramaphosa denied criminal conduct on his part.

READ MORE: ‘Ramaphosa must resign’: Carl Niehaus joins Arthur Fraser and lays charges

The president previously said the alleged millions of US dollars – which were said to be found in couches and mattresses – were not the proceeds of crime, but from animal game sales.

Fraser met with the Hawks – who received the docket into the robbery from Saps last week – on Wednesday to provide more details about the matter.

Meanwhile, the Public Protector’s office is investigating Ramaphosa for allegedly breaching the Executive Code of Ethics in relation to the robbery after a complaint was lodged by the African Transformational Movement (ATM).

The investigation and report into the robbery is expected be completed in 30 days.

Additional information by Faizel Patel