Pres. Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo: Presidency/X)
On Wednesday, ActionSA filed a criminal complaint against Pres. Cyril Ramaphosa submitted in connection with the controversial Phala Phala case.
The party says the complaint relates to alleged violations of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act, perjury and fraud.
According to ActionSA, the complaint stems from allegations that the actual amount of money stolen during the break-in at Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala game farm may have been deliberately concealed or understated.
The party argues that the amount may be much higher than the generally accepted approximately $580,000 (approximately R8.75 million at the exchange rate at the time). According to ActionSA, reports indicate that the amount stolen could be at least R15 million.
Michael Beaumont, the national chairman of ActionSA, says the party believes South Africans have not yet been told the full truth about Phala Phala.
“The rule of law must apply to everyone, including the president of the republic. South Africans deserve the truth, and the institutions charged with the investigation must be allowed to do their work independently and without political interference,” reads the statement.
ActionSA also refers to reports that cash flow analyzes by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) on one of the accused in the Phala Phala burglary have already raised questions about the true extent of the amount involved.
The entrance to pres. Cyril Ramaphosa’s farm Phala Phala. (Photo: Provided)
The party further argues that any intentional misrepresentation of the stolen amount could potentially undermine the criminal process.
Maroela Media reported earlier that ActionSA also Ramaphosa and prof. Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia accused them of failing to respond in time to parliamentary questions about the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Opod) investigation into Phala Phala.
According to Beaumont, after a long legal battle, ActionSA succeeded in obtaining the Opod report on the case and making it public. According to him, the report contains serious findings against the presidential protection unit and Dr. Bhekani Chauke, the president’s special envoy to Africa.
ActionSA claims, among other things, that Maj. Gen. Wally Rhoode and Const. HH Rekhoto apparently refused to participate in the Opod investigation, was involved in an illegal investigation without a file being opened, and falsified documents to have the investigation financed by the South African Police Service.
“The simple truth is that ActionSA has not received any answers to its questions, because the president and his acting minister of police have no answers about what consequences have flowed from the Opod investigation into Phala Phala,” Beaumont said earlier.