Mashudu Sadike and Ntombi Nkosi
Pretoria - After former State Security Agency boss Arthur Fraser opened a criminal case against President Cyril Ramaphosa at a Johannesburg police station, much was expected to be done about the matter by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
Fraser registered the case at the Rosebank police station in May, accusing Ramaphosa of concealing a crime at his Phala Phala farm in Limpopo where about $4 million (R73.4m) was allegedly stolen.
One of the questions related to the case is why the president kept so much money at his residential property.
Ramaphosa has since said the money was the proceeds of game farming, which opened a can of worms – with Fraser challenging those assertions and accusing him of lying. Various opposition parties have voiced their frustrations on the NPA’s slow response to the matter, saying the delay could stem from political interference in order to protect the incumbent president.
ATM president Vuyolwethu Zungula said it was common cause that there was political interference in the NPA. “The NPA is dragging its feet and not even able to pronounce that it is investigating Ramaphosa. This clearly shows that our law enforcement agencies are not loyal to the Constitution, but rather to whoever occupies political office,” said Zungula.
UDM leader Bantu Holomisa said they did not know whether the docket had been given to the NPA.
“It is clear that there seems to be a cover-up. Remember, in the police’s second statement we don’t hear what they did.
“The independent panel must be a useful tool where they say Ramaphosa has a question to answer. We rely on the panel.nI don’t have confidence in the NPA and police. Those are government employees,” Holomisa said.
Twitter user Lungile Nhlapho took to the social media platform to voice her dissatisfaction with the move by the NPA.
“The Phala Phala farm scandal has exposed the fragility of South Africa’s democracy. The NPA has been quick to charge individuals that have violated Covid-19 regulations, but it does not seem to have the appetite to hold Ramaphosa accountable,” Nhlapho said.
Another Twitter user, going by the name Now Movement, wrote: “The NPA thinks we are children. You can’t tell us that Ramaphosa is serious about corruption but you are not prosecuting him for his criminality at Phala Phala.”
Responding to questions from Independent Media on the status of the case, NPA regional spokesperson Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi gave a vague response despite detailed questions.
She said: “The matter is still under investigation and no decision yet has been made. There is no political interference in the matter and we will decide the matter based on evidential material placed before our prosecutors.”
Questions sent to both NPA national spokesperson Mthunzi Mhaga and Malabi-Dzhangi included whether the NPA had taken a decision on whether to prosecute the president and those who were allegedly involved and whether the Hawks had submitted any recommendations to the NPA.
It was also asked why it took so long to act on the case and whether they believed there was political interference?
In a letter believed to have been written by Fraser to the Hawks, Ramaphosa’s close ally and adviser Bejani Chauke is accused of having been responsible for transporting the money into the country from various Arab countries.
The Star editor Sifiso Mahlangu opened a case of intimidation against ANC MP Boy Mamabolo after he allegedly threatened him with “assassination” if he kept on publishing stories about Chauke.
Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, although given time to reply, failed to do so.
Pretoria News