S.Africa: Protecting the Black Jew Ramaphosa: The Phala Phala scandal

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The Phala Phala scandal in South Africa revolves around an incident at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s private game farm, Phala Phala, where a large sum of U.S. dollars—reportedly $580,000—was stolen in 2020. This money was allegedly hidden inside a sofa, and Ramaphosa claimed it was the proceeds from a legitimate sale of buffalo to a Sudanese businessman. However, the circumstances raised questions about potential violations of foreign exchange regulations and the legality of holding such large sums of undeclared foreign currency.

In 2022, former spy boss Arthur Fraser accused Ramaphosa of trying to conceal the theft. He also alleged that Ramaphosa used his presidential protection team to locate, detain, and bribe the suspects, fueling claims of misconduct, money laundering, and tax evasion. These accusations significantly threatened Ramaphosa’s political career, especially during a leadership race within the African National Congress (ANC) party.

Multiple investigations followed. Although an independent parliamentary panel initially found that Ramaphosa had a case to answer, other inquiries—including by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the Public Protector, and the South African Reserve Bank—ultimately cleared him of any wrongdoing. The NPA recently decided not to press charges, citing insufficient evidence to sustain a conviction, a decision that has drawn criticism from political opponents and raised concerns about accountability and the rule of law in the country?

jlamprecht