Phala Phala: MK Party Calls for Formal Visit to Ramaphosa’s Farm as Part of Impeachment Inquiry
- The uMkhonto weSizwe Party has called for a visit to be conducted at Phala Phala, the game farm in Limpopo
- The Phala Phala scandal dates back to 2020, when $580,000 in cash was stolen from the farm without a police docket being opened
- President Cyril Ramaphosa is currently seeking to block the impeachment inquiry from proceeding
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Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online
WESTERN CAPE - The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party has called for a formal visit to President Cyril Ramaphosa's Phala Phala game farm in Limpopo as part of the ongoing parliamentary impeachment inquiry into the president.
The impeachment committee convened on Wednesday to deliberate on its terms of reference, during which MKP MP Andile Mngxitama made the case for an inspection of the farm itself.
"We must have an inspection in loco, at Phala Phala itself, the site of the alleged wrongdoings. As a committee, we can't be operating in the dark. We need to get a sense of the coordinates, the physical space which we are discussing in the committee," Mngxitama said.
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He was careful to clarify that the proposed visit would not be a disorderly one. "I'm not suggesting a gung-ho, 'skiet-en-donner' process. I'm requesting a well-considered, legally permissible visit to the site of the alleged wrongdoing we are addressing in this committee. Otherwise, chair, we will be operating in the dark," he said.
What Is the Phala Phala scandal?
The controversy at the centre of the inquiry traces back to 2020, when money, reportedly stashed in a couch, was stolen. The money was reportedly paid by Sudanese businessman Hazim Mustafa for buffaloes.
Ramaphosa reported the theft to the head of his Presidential Protection Unit, but no formal police docket was opened with the South African Police Service, effectively keeping the incident out of public record.
Presidential security personnel subsequently tracked down suspects and reportedly recovered a portion of the stolen funds, with allegations that some culprits were paid off to ensure their silence — accusations that have since been described as an off-the-books cover-up.
The matter became public in June 2022, when former State Security Agency director-general Arthur Fraser filed a criminal complaint accusing Ramaphosa of money laundering, bribery, kidnapping of suspects, and failing to report the crime through proper channels.
An independent parliamentary panel subsequently found that Ramaphosa may have committed serious misconduct. Parliament voted against launching an impeachment inquiry in December 2022, but the matter has since been revived. Ramaphosa is currently seeking to prevent the current impeachment process from proceeding.
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What you need to know about the Phala Phala case
- The NPA announced that it would not prosecute anyone related to the Phala Phala scandal.
- The NPA encouraged parties to make use of the review process if they were unhappy with the decision.
- President Ramaphosa was grilled in Parliament in October 2024 about the Phala Phala saga, but he maintained his innocence.
- Police Minister Senzo Mchunu confirmed that IPID’s report into Phala Phala was marked as top secret.
- ActionSA demanded transparency regarding Phala Phala and wanted access to IPID’s report.
- The MK Party wanted the report to be made public, but citizens wanted all the focus on Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s allegations first.
How did South Africans react?
Social media users were divided over the MKP's proposal, sharing mixed reactions to it.
@Mofereferepo wrote:
"They visited Cat Matlala in prison and came out of that with nothing at all because they are naïve, politically emotional, and legally immature. They must be stopped from going there."
@Chief_Dzata simply noted:
"Phala Phala is private property."
@Gaqoss echoed that statement:
“It’s private property.”
@Indepentdepend1 stated:
“They must respect the home (crime scene) of the sitting President. What do they want to prove because we all know that the honourable president stashed those dollars under the mattress and sofas.
@Matipwili said:
“To inspect the couches and mattresses.”
ANC backs Cyril Ramaphosa over Phala Phala decision
In another article, the ANC's National Executive Committee (NEC) met to discuss the Constitutional Court's recent ruling on Phala Phala.
Briefly News reported that President Cyril Ramaphosa was not present at the meeting, as he was the subject of the discussions that were taking place.
South Africans took to social media to share mixed reactions to the NEC's resolution that the party stood behind the president's decision.
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Source: Briefly News
