Three suspects in the ‘farmgate’ scandal which nearly topped President Cyril Ramaphosa were produced in court today.
Imanuwela David, Ndilinasho Joseph and Froliana Joseph are accused of stealing millions of dollars worth of cash from President Cyril Ramaphosa’s game farm in 2020.
The three men appeared at a regional court in Limpopo province where the case was adjourned till November 26.
Though the bail for the Joseph siblings was extended, David was ordered to remain in custody.
But what do we know about the scandal?
Let’s take a closer look:
What is farmgate?
In early 2020, between $500,000 and $5 million was stolen from Ramaphosa’s game farm, Phala Phala, in Limpopo province. The cash was not declared under the country’s money laundering or tax regulations, and its theft was not reported to the police.
Instead, a presidential bodyguard was allegedly tasked with recovering the money, possibly even paying off the thieves. This incident has been referred to as “farmgate” by the local media.
The accused, Imanuwela David, Froliana Joseph and her brother Ndilinasho Joseph, who are linked to the theft appear in the Magistrate’s Court in Modimolle. Reuters
Is Ramaphosa’s position in any danger?
“Farmgate,” as it came to be called, almost cost Ramaphosa his leadership of the African National Congress in late 2022.
The scandal, along with ongoing corruption issues within the party, caused the ANC to lose its parliamentary majority in the May 2024 elections, the most tightly contested in South Africa’s democratic history.
The scandal is centred around foreign cash that Ramaphosa admitted had been stolen from under sofa cushions at his game ranch. The president earlier stated that the money was payment for buffaloes purchased by a Sudanese businessman.
However, he initially faced allegations of failing to report the theft to the police, abusing his powers, and exposing himself to a conflict of interest. Ramaphosa has consistently maintained his innocence.
Late that month, South Africa’s anti-corruption watchdog cleared him of any potential conflict of interest related to the money hidden at his Phala Phala farm.
The public prosecutor said that it had informed the involved parties of the initial findings of the investigation over the theft of the cash from Ramaphosa’s luxury game farm.
Speaking on the details of the report, the South African President’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, said, “We note the report. As stated before, we reiterate that the president did not participate in any wrongdoing, nor did he violate the oath of his office.”
Farmgate explained
The scandal came to light in June 2022 when Arthur Fraser, South Africa’s former spy chief, walked into a police station and accused President Cyril Ramaphosa of money laundering, corruption, and covering up the theft of a large sum of cash.
Fraser claimed that thieves had raided Ramaphosa’s game farm in February 2020, finding over $4 million in foreign currency hidden in furniture, and then stole the money.
Police launched a criminal investigation, and the incident sparked widespread controversy, as people questioned how Ramaphosa obtained the cash and whether he declared it to tax authorities.
The South African President admitted there had been a break-in but claimed that the amount stolen was much smaller and was from the proceeds of the game. He also denied covering up the incident, stating that he reported it once he had the details, as he was not on-site at the time.
The three suspects were arrested in November 2022 and are now on trial.
How did the incident impact Ramaphosa?
The scandal has been a major embarrassment for Ramaphosa, who has long advocated for a tough stance on corruption. Despite the controversy, his opponents were unable to leverage it to remove him from office. Ramaphosa, who succeeded Jacob Zuma in 2018 with a promise to clean up corruption, managed to survive the political storm.
Earlier this year, Ramaphosa led the ANC into elections and secured a second full term as president.
However, the party lost its parliamentary majority for the first time in three decades, forcing it to form a coalition government with smaller parties.
Cyril Ramaphosa at his inauguration at the Union Buildings in Tshwane, South Africa in June 2024. AP
After the new government was formed, Helen Zille, a senior Democratic Alliance politician, was quoted in local media stating that the coalition would likely shield Ramaphosa from any impeachment attempt related to the scandal.
What does the inquiry say about Ramaphosa?
A report released by acting Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka found no evidence to support claims that Cyril Ramaphosa violated his oath of office or put himself in a position of conflict between his constitutional responsibilities and private interests.
The report included documentation of a receipt for the sale of buffalo linked to the amount of cash in question. However, the watchdog’s investigation did not address whether the money had been reported to tax authorities, as that issue was outside its scope.
What next in the case?
South Africa’s Constitutional Court announced last week that it will hear a case next month brought by two opposition parties aiming to restart impeachment proceedings against President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Ramaphosa narrowly avoided the impeachment vote in 2022 when his African National Congress used its parliamentary majority to block the motion. This came despite an independent report raising concerns about his actions and recommending a full investigation.
Since then, the ANC has formed a coalition with nine other parties to govern South Africa, which has helped silence some of the criticism surrounding the scandal.
With inputs from agencies
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Publish date : 2024-10-07 13:18:37
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