The 2020 Phala Phala Robbery or Cyril Ramaphosa Farm Burglary or Farmgate Scandal was a burglary of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa's private Phala Phala game farm near Bela-Bela, Limpopo, South Africa. The incident occurred on 9 February 2020 in which an indeterminate amount of cash was stolen. Arthur Fraser, an ally of former president Jacob Zuma alleged that around 4 million US dollars (60 million rand) of undeclared foreign currency had been stolen. However, subsequent reports indicated that the amount stolen was $580 000. Ramaphosa denied any wrongdoing, and sought judicial review of a report by a panel appointed by the South African Parliament released in 2022 that accused him of "serious misconduct". Opposition parties and MPs have slammed investigations into the source of the cash, and have accused the South African Reserve Bank of providing a claptrap report and systemic coverup. The Democratic Alliance intends to pursue the courts to further investigate the matter.
Context On 1 June 2022, former head of the State Security Agency and close ally of former president Jacob Zuma, Arthur Fraser, lodged a criminal complaint against Cyril Ramaphosa for defeating the ends of justice by committing breaches of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act and the Prevention of Corrupt Activities Act of 2004. Fraser's complaint stated that a total of US$4 million (equivalent to R62 million) stashed inside a couch at Ramaphosa's home at the Phala Phala game farm in Waterberg, Limpopo was stolen “on or about” 9 February 2020. It went on to state that the president did not report the crime and that the existence of such a large amount of foreign currency was not declared to the reserve bank despite regulations. Fraser's complaint also alleged that suspects supposedly involved in the theft were kidnapped and interrogated at the farm and were paid off not to tell anyone of the incident. The Namibian authorities identified suspects involved in the theft before it became public but allegedly let the matter go following requests from South African state security sources.
Sources close to the president stated that whilst a theft did take place at the farm the amount of money involved was less than Fraser had claimed and the money was all legally obtained following the sale of Ankole cattle. Ramaphosa stated that he did not report the crime as he did not want to cause alarm within the farming community and instead the presidential security detail investigated the theft.
2020 alleged burglary From the allegation and charges laid by Arthur Fraser, the following events allegedly took place: A domestic worker employed at the Phala Phala game farm had allegedly discovered foreign currency hidden in furniture. She lived off the farm in the village of Cyferskyl. Many Namibians live there and their origin were from persons who had fought on the side of the South African Defence Force during the Border War and settled in South Africa after 1989. She discussed the find with some neighbours and they put her in touch with some Namibians, who could help her, and were based in Cape Town. The burglary occurred on the night of 9 February 2020, around 10 pm. Fraser claimed the whole event was recorded on CCTV. The burglars initially broke into the wrong room and were then allegedly assisted by the domestic worker to the right room. After the burglary, they then fled to Cape Town. When the burglary was discovered, the head of the Presidential Protection Unit Major-General Wally Rhoode allegedly became involved, instructed to investigate by Cyril Ramaphosa. Suspects were eventually traced to Cape Town after the domestic worker was interrogated and her cell phone examined for messages with the burglars. In Cape Town, the burglars laundered the foreign currency into Rands at a Chinese money exchange. Fraser claims the suspects were interrogated, any money left over returned and the burglars paid-off with R150 000. At least one was allegedly interrogated while in Namibia by Rhoode. This occurred due to the alleged intervention of Ramaphosa with Namibian President Hage Geingob. The domestic worker was allegedly fired then reinstated and paid off with $150 000.
Burglary suspects The following alleged suspects were identified from the charges laid by Arthur Fraser with the police. The suspects that have been interviewed by journalists have claimed they are innocent. Immanuwela David - Allegedly illegally entered Namibia in June 2020 with the bribery of Namibian government officials. He was arrested two days later in Windhoek, charged with entering Namibia illegally and breaking the country's COVID-19 lockdown rules. He spent four months in jail before appearing in court on 13 November 2020. He then pleaded guilty to illegally entering the country and failing to declare goods he had brought into Namibia. He was sentenced to a year in jail for the former and 24 months for the latter crime and had to forfeit the cash, watches and jewellery. He served only 48 hours and was deported to South Africa. Urbanus Shaumbwako - Namibian citizen, arrested in October 2020, in possession of unlicensed firearms. The firearms had been used in robberies. He is due in court in July 2022. He was caught at a roadblock outside Cape Town, with 12 unlicensed firearms, serial numbers erased believed to Namibian police weapons, while in a car belonging to Erkki Shikongo. Erkki Shikongo - He admitted to journalists that he smuggled gold, guns and dollars between Namibia, Angola and South Africa. He said he knows the suspects named except Afrikaner. Claimed Petrus Muhekeni is his "brother". He also said he knows Immanuwela David from Cape Town. Shikongo lived in the same house Cape Town with Urbanus Shaumbwako. Denies knowing anything about the Phala Phala robbery. Petrus Muhekeni - He denied he was involved in the robbery. Claimed no police had spoken to him about the event. He is now in Namibia recovering from a broken neck from a house fall. He was an Uber and Bolt driver in Cape Town. Petrus Afrikaner - No known information. Erkki Shikongo claimed he does not know him.
2022 timeline
On 1 June, former Director-general of the State Security Agency and Department of Correctional Services commissioner Arthur Fraser and his lawyer attended the Rosebank Police Station and laid a charge of money laundering, defeating the ends of justice and kidnapping against President Cyril Ramaphosa. He presented evidence to support his allegations that included names, photographs, video footage of the robbery, and bank accounts. He alleged that $4 million in foreign currency was stolen from a concealed location at the president's game farm, Phala Phala, on 9 February 2022. He alleged the burglars were then identified, kidnapped, interrogated and then bribed to hide the implications of the undeclared foreign currency from the South African Police Service and South African Revenue Service The allegation was laid under section 34(2) of the Prevention and Combatting Corrupt Activities Act, which states that it is an offence not to report alleged crimes related to the act.
A spokesperson for the presidency, Vincent Magwenya, confirmed on 2 June 2022 that, during the burglary that occurred at the president's farm in 2020, around $4 million was stolen and that Ramaphosa denied any criminal conduct. The spokesman question the timing of Fraser's disclosure two years later. Magwenya confirmed that the theft was reported to the head of the Presidential Protection Unit of the South African Police.
By 3 June 2022, Democratic Alliance leader John Steenhuisen said that his party would be writing to the South African Revenue Service (SARS) calling for the organisation to investigate whether the money had been declared and tax paid. They would also write to South African Reserve Bank (SARB) asking them to investigate whether the foreign exchange held by Ramaphosa was the result of an illicit flow of funds and whether money laundering was involved.
On Sunday 5 June 2022, Ramaphosa, at his closing address of the ANC Limpopo provincial conference, claimed there was a political agenda around the disclosure that he had hidden the theft of money from his game park and that the amount of money was far less than had been reported. He claimed the money came from selling game animals and he had not stolen money nor was it a case of money laundering.
Monday, 6 June 2022, saw ANC National Executive Committee (NEC) member Tony Yengeni, a Jacob Zuma supporter, have the National Working Committee (NWC) meeting agenda modified to include a discussion about the brewing scandal. He attempted to force the committee to make Ramaphosa step down while he was investigated by the ANC's integrity committee. He also attempted to get the president to face parliament's ethics committee. The attempt failed to unseat the president and the NWC accepted a report from Ramaphosa and would wait for the investigation to take its course before making a decision.
United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa wrote to the parliamentary speaker on 7 June 2022 requesting that parliament investigate the allegations using a panel of retired judges, and that president should step down during the process and allow the vice-president David Mabuza to assume the role.
On 7 June, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) released a video supposedly of the robbery at Phala Phala game farm. EFF leader Julius Malema called for Ramaphosa to step aside while the police investigate. He promised to mobilise the public to stop recognising his right to be president if he failed to step aside. Malema also claimed the police were being pressured to change dates on official documents to back the president's claims that the Presidential Protection Unit had opened a case. After the purported footage was released, the EFF laid allegations of money laundering with Ramaphosa denying the allegations.
Public Protector Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane announced on 8 June 2022 that she would be investigating Ramaphosa for criminal activities after receiving a complaint from African Transformation Movement MP and president Vuyo Zungula concerning allegations of bribery, concealing crimes and kidnapping at the president's farm.
The following day, 9 June 2022, Public Protector Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane was suspended by Ramaphosa. Her suspension came, after weeks earlier, Ramaphosa had requested her to report back to him as to why he should not suspend her. This she had done on 27 May 2022. Her suspension would in no way hinder the deputy public protector from investigating the president.
Ramaphosa stated on 10 June 2022, that he would step aside if he was charged over the events that followed after money was stolen from his game park by burglars. He also announced that he had volunteered to appear before the ANC Integrity Commission.
On 13 June 2022, ex-ANC spokesperson and Jacob Zuma supporter, Carl Niehaus opened a case of money laundering and kidnapping, at a police station, against Ramaphosa. He said the president should be held accountable for his crimes and the opening of a case against the latter should become a national campaign and encourage South Africans to do the same. On the same day, the Hawks confirmed that a group of investigators had been appointed to investigate.
ATM leader Vuyo Zungula tabled an official motion on 14 June 2022 that parliament investigate Ramaphosa by forming a Section 89 Committee Inquiry over allegations the latter had violated section 89 of the South African Constitution.
On 15 June 2022, the Hawks investigators met Arthur Fraser and discussed his allegations, provided additional information and he received an update on the case's progress.