Phala Phala report is a pro-Ramaphosa public relations exercise: Steenhuisen

Some political parties have reacted to the Acting Public Protector Protector Kholeka Gcaleka’s report on the Phala Phala saga.  Gcaleka has cleared President Cyril Ramaphosa of wrongdoing. She released the final report of her investigations into the theft of US dollars from his Phala Phala game farm in Limpopo in February 2020.

Ramaphosa was accused of breaching the Executive Ethics Code and being in a conflict of interest between his constitutional duties and his private interests arising from his alleged paid work at Phala Phala.

“The evidence does not support the allegation that the president’s financial interest in game and cattle farming at Phala Phala farm exposes him to any situation on a risk of conflict between his official responsibilities and his private interests. Accordingly, the allegation that the president improperly and in violation of the provisions of the executive code exposed him to any risk of the conflict between his constitutional duties and obligations and his private interests arising from or affected his alleged paid work at Phala Phala farm is not substantiated,” says Gcaleka.

Calls for a review 

The Democratic Alliance says it intends to take the report by Gcaleka into the Phala Phala scandal on review. DA leader John Steenhuisen says Gcaleka has overlooked Ramaphosa’s role in the matter.

“The acting public protector has attempted to paint President Cyril Ramaphosa as nothing more than some innocent bystander to the Phala Phala scandal, clearly oblivious to the workings of the Presidential Protection Services, his responsibilities as head of South Africa’s national executive and his duty as the first citizen of the nation. This report can only be described as a pro-Ramaphosa public relations exercise.”

The African Transformation Movement (ATM) says it will also challenge the report through a judicial review. ATM President Vuyo Zungula, says his party believes the report undermines the public as well as the country’s democratic institutions.

“It is undermining our people, undermining our democratic institutions because you can never have a case whereby an Acting Public Protector says there’s no evidence that Mr Ramaphosa was involved in the day-to-day operations when he himself at the ANC Limpopo conference stated that he is the one that is selling animals. Furthermore, when he responded to the questions by the independent panel, he is the one that said he basically instructed the farm managers as to which animals must be sold and he actually instructed the farm manager on moving the money from the safe to the couches.”

ATM’s Zama Ntshona says the party completely rejects the report:

The Economic Freedom Fighters has described the report as illogical and nonsensical.

” In consideration of the findings of the Independent Panel, the report by Kholeka Gcaleka is not worth the paper it is written on and must be rejected by all sound minded and objective South Africans. Her findings are at odds with the basic prescripts of governance, law and logic.”

EFF Statement On The Acting Public Protector’s Nonsensical Report On Cyril Ramaphosa’s Criminal Activity Relating To Phala Phala Farm

-In consideration of the findings of the Independent Panel, the report by the Kholeka Gcaleka is therefore not worth the paper it is written on,… pic.twitter.com/LabI4N09qk

— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) June 30, 2023

The Freedom Front Plus says it will await the criminal investigations by the Hawks and the Reserve Bank into the foreign currency that was stolen from Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm.  The party says the report by Gcaleka does not absolve the President from wrongdoing.

“The findings of the acting public protector that President Ramaphosa did not violate any of the rules in terms of the ethics code of the office of the presidency must not be interpreted as if he did nothing wrong. It is quite clear that foreign money is subject to strict legislation in terms of South African law and the question still remains: Where there any violations of that? Therefore the Freedom Front Plus will wait to see what those outcomes are,” says Freedom Front Plus leader, Pieter Groenewald.

Gcaleka’s findings presented at a media briefing: 

Findings against Ramaphosa’s Security Chief

Meanwhile, Gcaleka has recommended that the National Police Commissioner take action against President Ramaphosa’s Security Chief, General Wally Rhoode within the next 60 days for maladministration and improper conduct.

This relates to Rhoode and Sergeant Hlulani Rekhoto’s role in investigating a break-in and alleged theft at the President’s Phala Phala farm in 2020.

An investigation by the Public Protector found Rhoode investigated the matter without a registered case with the police.

Rhoode claimed he reported the incident to General Sindile Mfazi who was not his commanding officer.

But Gcaleka says they could not find evidence of him reporting to the now-deceased Mfazi and that appropriate remedial action is taken to redress the conduct of the two police officers.

“The National Commissioner of the SAPS must within sixty calendar days from the date of receipt of this report ensure that appropriate action is initiated against General Rhoode and Sergeant Rekhoto for contraventions of the SAPS prescripts as highlighted in this report, in line with the provisions of Section 40 of the SAPS Act and Regulation 6 of the SAPS Discipline Regulations, 2016.”