Independent panel on Phala Phala to hand over report on Wednesday

The panel, headed by former chief justice Sandile Ngcobo, was tasked to investigate whether there is prima facie evidence that Ramaphosa had violated his oath of office during and following the robbery at his private farm Phala Phala in Limpopo. 

The Phala Phala saga first came to light in June after former spy boss Arthur Fraser opened a kidnapping and money laundering case against Ramaphosa, accusing him of attempting to conceal the 2020 robbery in which millions worth of foreign currency were allegedly stolen. 

The president has since said that the money was the proceeds from the sale of the game and that he reported the crime to the head of the police's VIP protection unit for investigation. 

The panel was established to determine whether Ramaphosa will be subjected to a process that could lead to his removal from office.

Section 89 of the Constitution provides for the National Assembly to remove a president from office on the grounds of either a serious violation of the Constitution or the law, serious misconduct, or an inability to perform the functions of the office. 

 The report will be handed over to the National Assembly speaker, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula.

African Transformation Movement (ATM) spokesperson Zama Ntshona says the party is looking forward to the report, with the hope that the panel managed to find prima facie evidence against the president. 

"We are also calling for the release of this report for public consumption so that parliament may be spared of being an accomplice to this major cover-up,” he said.  

“We are also hoping that this particular panel has actually made use of the mountain of evidence which was given to it by ATM so as to come to one conclusion, and that conclusion being, Mr Ramaphosa has a case to answer," says Ntshona. 

Wits School of Governance associate Professor,  Anthoni van Nieuwkerk says whether the panel finds any evidence for Ramaphosa to answer or not, the Phala Phala scandal has already damaged the President’s image. 

"Even if the president needs to be subject to this impeachment proceedings, it will take months and months, so he will escape immediate action, he won't resign and they won't force him out, the problem is that all of this will be damaging for him in the next 2024 elections,” says Van Nieuwkerk.  

“I am not saying he is guilty or innocent, because I don't know. But I am saying that the way his team is handling the matter, doesn't inspire confidence, they are making mistakes." 

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