DA, ATM mull taking ‘whitewash’ Phala Phala report on review
Opposition parties have reacted furiously to the acting public protector’s final report on the Phala Phala scandal.
The report clears President Cyril Ramaphosa of violating the executive ethics code in relation to the February 2020 theft of foreign currency at his private Limpopo farm.
DA leader John Steenhuisen, who was one of the complainants in the matter, said the party would be consulting its lawyers to take the report on review, claiming it contained numerous misinterpretations of the relevant pieces of legislation.
“It is also gravely concerning to note the discrepancies between the Nkandla Report, whose interpretation of similar laws found that former President Jacob Zuma was severely compromised as President of the Republic, yet Cyril Ramaphosa is seemingly assessed by different standards.
“We will be asking our lawyers to consult the Nkandla Report for any potential legal precedent that can be used to point out the discrepancies in Advocate Gcaleka’s findings,” said Steenhuisen.
READ: Phala Phala: Gcaleka clears Ramaphosa of violating ethics code
At the same time, the EFF has described the report as "nonsensical and illogical".
“The President of South Africa stands accused of money laundering, kidnapping, bribery, and misuse of state resources to pursue the recovery of millions of US Dollars, which he kept illicitly at his Phala Phala Farm. As a result, he is palpably culpable for violating the Executive Members Ethics Act, as he actively participated in work to generate profit as a member of Cabinet,” the party said in a statement.
The red berets accused the acting public protector of attempting to absolve Ramaphosa to take responsibility for his part in the alleged underhanded transactions involving Sudanese businessman Hazim Mutsafa and Ramaphosa’s farm manager.
Meanwhile, the African Transformation Movement has maintained its assertion that Ramaphosa was guilty of contravening the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act and the Executive Members' Ethics Act.
“There is no denying that the president violated this provision of the Constitution, this by his own admission at an ANC gathering in Limpopo, when he told delegates that: “I’m a farmer, I am in the cattle business and the game business… I buy and I sell animals…. This that is being reported was a clear business transaction of selling animals.
“This was an admission of a crime, the president confirmed that he was actively running a business while being President of the Republic, in direct violation of the constitution. The president ought to have arrested there and then,” said ATM spokesperson Zama Ntshona.
The ATM, whose leader was also a complainant in the matter, said it would approach the High Court to have the report taken on review and set aside.
At the time of writing, the presidency was yet to respond to the findings.
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