Pres. Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo: Stefan Heunis/AFP)
The Ministry of Police says the Independent Police Investigation Directorate’s (Opod) report on the Phala Phala matter was already declassified on February 2, 2026, but is not intended for public release.
The explanation follows reports about a written parliamentary response by the acting minister of police, prof. Firoz Cachalia.
According to the ministry, parliamentary questions are referred by members of parliament to the relevant departments for an answer. In matters concerning policing and surveillance, the minister submits the answers on behalf of entities under the ministry, including Opod.
However, the ministry emphasizes that Opod is an independent body established in terms of legislation and “that the minister does not interfere with Opod’s investigations or findings”. “The minister’s role is strictly defined and limited by legislation to protect the directorate’s independence.”
The report was classified by Opod itself and later declassified in accordance with the National Strategic Intelligence Act.
The parliamentary response further indicates that Opod reports are not intended for public release and can only be obtained through appropriate legal processes, subject to applicable restrictions.
The dispute stems from the Phala Phala incident where thousands of US dollars were stolen during a hack on Pres. Cyril Ramaphosa’s farm was stolen. The investigation by Opod concerned the conduct of members of the South African Police Service (SAPS), and not the core criminal case of housebreaking and theft.
ActionSA is pushing for full release
Meanwhile, ActionSA says the report must now be made public.
Michael Beaumont, national chairman of ActionSA, said the party had already submitted documents to Opod to ensure that the report was handed over immediately.
“ActionSA’s fight against Opod’s decision to classify their Phala Phala report has finally been won, with the minister announcing the declassification of the report,” says Beaumont.
According to him, the initial classification deprived South Africans of the right to know what happened to members of the Presidential Protection Unit who handled the investigation into the robbery at the president’s farm.
Beaumont says ActionSA’s efforts to obtain the report under the Promotion of Access to Information Act (Paia) have been marked by delays, including requests for postponement, an email system that was out of order and the initial rejection of their Paia application.
He calls it “amazing” that the declassification was not communicated to the public earlier.
“The fact that this has not been communicated to South Africans, while they still know as little as they did two years ago, reinforces the belief that this RNE promises transparency without the intention of delivering it.”
According to Beaumont, the acting minister has also indicated that the report will not be released because it is believed not to be Opod procedure and that any version that is obtained legally is likely to be heavily redacted.
“One can only wonder how much valuable information will be hidden under a mountain of inevitable editing,” he says. “ActionSA and civil society organizations will challenge the edits and even the report itself in court if necessary.”
Beaumont also believes that the Phala Phala scandal was systematically “watered down and covered up” to protect the president from accountability.
“In the coming days, when ActionSA receives the report, we will share its contents and communicate our next steps,” he says.