ActionSA consulting legal representatives following SARB Phala Phala whitewash

21 August 2023

ActionSA is consulting our legal representatives following the South African Reserve Bank’s (SARB) investigation which cleared President Cyril Ramaphosa of any wrongdoing related to whether he had to disclose the foreign currency which was stolen at his Phala Phala farm in 2020.

We firmly believe the SARB investigation is another attempt to cover up President Ramaphosa's involvement in the burglary. How is it possible that $580,000 (or $4 million as Arthur Fraser has alleged) can be hidden away in a couch without our financial agencies being aware of it?

ActionSA is furthermore dismayed by SARB Governor, Lesetja Kganyago’s correspondence to our letter dated 6 June 2022 that the Phala Phala report will remain private: if the President has nothing to hide - why would the report not be released for public consumption?

ActionSA will continue to follow all possible avenues to ensure that the President does not get away with his possible unlawful actions, and seek to ensure that the SARB report is released publicly. We have already asked the National Assembly, SARS and SARB to hold the President accountable and will investigate other avenues at our disposal.

We remain concerned that government entities are being used in an attempt to clear President Ramaphosa, despite his very own VIP unit embarking on an off-the-books and possibly illegal investigation into the burglary.

As a party which values the rule of law, ActionSA believes that all South Africans need to be treated equally by our law enforcement agencies and need to be held accountable for their actions.

Ramaphosa cannot receive special treatment simply because they are the President of the country, and will therefore keep working to ensure he is held accountable.

Issued by Herman Mashaba, ActionSA President, 21 August 2023