A robbery at the game farm of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa around two years ago has been disclosed this month. It has initiated a political blaze when he is about to seek re-election as head of the governing party after six months.
Last week, Arthur Fraser, the former head of the State Security Agency, alleged that Ramaphosa hid the theft of over $4 million from his farm located in the northern Limpopo region in February 2020. The suspects were also detained with illegal means and interrogated.
On June 2, the office of Ramaphosa confirmed the robbery happened and stated that he reported the matter to the police for further investigation. The president noted that the amount taken was significantly less than Fraser claimed and rejected any wrongdoing during the weekend.
President Ramaphosa stated on his Twitter account, “Some are implying aspersions about me and money. I want to ensure you comrades that all this was money from earnings from selling animals. I have never robbed money from anywhere, be it from our taxpayers, or be it from anyone.”
President’s opponents within the governing African National Congress will use these allegations to try and hinder his bid to win another five-year term as the party leader during an elective conference in December.
Under the ANC’s rules, officials facing criminal accusations must vacate their positions until legal proceedings are cleared.
Ramaphosa, a lawyer and one of the wealthiest Black South Africans, has not been charged with any crime. He has recognised the fight against graft as a top priority since he came into power in 2018.
Those making the allegations “have their political agenda, and we are all known of that,” he said. “It will not prevent me from fighting corruption.”
The stolen cash was concealed inside furniture on Ramaphosa’s farm, and Ramaphosa hasn’t provided details of how the theft happened, how much was involved and why the money wasn’t deposited in a bank.
