By Zuko Komisa
Preliminary report by the acting public protector clears Ramaphosa of any wrongdoing.
According to the initial findings of the Phala Phala farm scandal report by acting public protector advocate Kholeka Gcaleka, there is no reason to believe that President Cyril Ramaphosa violated the Executive Ethics Code when he handled the home invasion at his Phala Phala farm in 2020 that resulted in the theft of US foreign money hidden in a sofa.
Media Statement | Saturday, 11 March 2023
— Public Protector SA (@PublicProtector) March 11, 2023
Subject | Public Protector’s notice on Phala-Phala investigation delivered to affected and implicated persons pic.twitter.com/V2LwnnbsQh
While the report represents a significant victory for Ramaphosa, who has consistently maintained his innocence in the matter, it does raise important concerns for Major General Wally Rhoode, the head of the Presidential Protection Service, who Gcaleka found abused his position by starting an unofficial investigation that used police resources.
Furthermore, it conflicts with a report by a parliamentary committee led by retired chief justice Sandile Ngcobo, which concluded that the president had a case to answer.
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Ramaphosa claimed that Sudanese businessman Hazim Mustafa gave $580,000 in cash to his erstwhile farm manager Sylvester Ndlovu on Christmas Day of 2019.
Even though the buffaloes were still on the farm more than three years later, the president insists that the money was given in trade for a herd of them.
SARS stated last week that it could not locate any records of a declaration form Mustafa claimed to have completed upon his arrival in South Africa.



