Cyril Ramaphosa was cleared of wrongdoing on Friday by South Africa’s public watchdog over the controversial “Farmgate” scandal involving the theft of large amounts of U.S. currency hidden inside furniture at his Phala Phala game farm.
Acting Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka said Ramaphosa did not violate the executive ethics code in relation to the 2020 theft, which only became public two years later and triggered one of the biggest political crises of his presidency.
The scandal had raised allegations of money laundering, tax violations, breaches of foreign exchange laws and abuse of state resources, placing intense pressure on Ramaphosa’s administration and damaging his anti corruption image.
Watchdog Dismisses Misconduct Allegations
Presenting her final report, Gcaleka said there was no evidence that Ramaphosa had acted improperly by reporting the theft to the head of his presidential protection unit rather than directly to a police station.
Ramaphosa has maintained that approximately $580,000 was stolen from the farm and said the money came from the sale of buffaloes to a Sudanese businessman. Gcaleka noted that determining the exact amount of money involved did not fall within the scope of her investigation.
“The allegation that the president improperly and in violation of the provisions of the executive code exposed himself to a conflict between his constitutional duties and his private interests is not substantiated,” Gcaleka told reporters during a news conference.
She also rejected accusations that Ramaphosa improperly used his office to protect his private business interests linked to the Phala Phala farm in Limpopo province.
Allegations Sparked National Controversy
The scandal first erupted publicly in June 2022 when former intelligence chief Arthur Fraser filed a criminal complaint accusing Ramaphosa of concealing the theft of millions of dollars from his farm.
Fraser alleged that as much as $4 million had been hidden in furniture before being stolen during a break in. He further accused the president of attempting to cover up the incident to hide the existence of the money.
Ramaphosa denied the allegations and disputed Fraser’s claims about the amount stolen.
Fraser also accused members of Ramaphosa’s presidential protection unit, led by Major General Wally Rhoode, of conducting a secret operation to recover the stolen cash, including allegations of kidnapping, torture and bribery involving suspects linked to the theft.
Gcaleka said her investigation found no evidence that Ramaphosa was aware of or directed such activities.
“No evidence could be found to prove that the president was aware of the investigation of the crime by Gen. Rhoode,” she said.
Questions Remain Despite Clearance
Although Ramaphosa was cleared by the Public Protector, the controversy continues to generate political debate in South Africa, where opposition parties have repeatedly questioned why such a large amount of foreign currency was being stored inside a sofa at the farm.
The president has not provided a detailed explanation for why the cash was hidden in furniture, though he has insisted the funds were legitimate proceeds from livestock sales.
The Farmgate affair seriously weakened Ramaphosa’s public standing and prompted opposition parties to demand his resignation. However, efforts to begin impeachment proceedings failed after lawmakers from the ruling African National Congress used their parliamentary majority to block the move.
In December, a separate parliamentary panel concluded that Ramaphosa may have violated anti corruption laws and questioned aspects of his explanation regarding the buffalo sale, including findings that the animals allegedly sold remained on the farm years later.
(Oscar DEL POZO / AFP via Getty Images)
Despite that report, the ANC rejected the panel’s conclusions, allowing Ramaphosa to survive politically and secure reelection as party leader.
The president is expected to seek a second and final term in upcoming national elections, although the scandal is likely to remain a contentious issue for both his supporters and critics.
A criminal investigation into the theft itself remains ongoing.
