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After consistently avoiding discussing the Phala Phala scandal, President Cyril Ramaphosa finally gave some details regarding the alleged theft of dollars at his farm, when he appeared for an oral question-and-answer session in Parliament on Thursday.
Ramaphosa appeared in Parliament to answer new questions but also had to conclude responding to supplementary questions that arose from a question-and-answer session last month where opposition members of Parliament (MP) said he had not answered questions on Phala Phala.
At that question-and-answer session in August, African Transformation Movement leader Vuyolwethu Zungula asked the president to take the nation and Parliament “into his confidence about the serious allegations” regarding the alleged robbery of dollars at his farm.
READ: Opposition parties don’t budge on Ramaphosa’s refusal to answer Phala Phala questions
However, Ramaphosa stuck to the same script and explained that he had been advised not to speak on the Phala Phala matter while it was under investigation. He had said the same thing when opposition parties asked him in Parliament during the presidency budget vote speech in June.
But on Thursday, Ramaphosa appeared to be more willing to reveal some information about the theft that has been a thorn on his side since the revelations were made public by former Correctional Services head Arthur Fraser, in an affidavit, in June.
Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula indicated that the supplementary question about Phala Phala would be left as the last item after Ramaphosa had answered all the other questions. However, in a follow-up question about crime and investigation of cases, Zungula asked Ramaphosa if he was confident in the work of the police and why had he not reported the theft to the police.
Ramaphosa said after learning of the theft, he had reported to the police general, Wally Rhoode, who had told him he had reported the matter to the police.
Ramaphosa said:He also maintained that he was willing and ready to account for any processes of Parliament, including section 89 that has been approved by the National Assembly to be headed by retired Chief Justice Sandile Ngcobo.
“This matter has been subjected to several authorities, the other time I counted that they were up to seven or eight authorities that are looking into this and I have said very openly that I am willing to subject myself to that process and that process is now under way,” said Ramaphosa.
DA leader John Steenhuisen also asked Ramaphosa if he claimed that he reported the matter to the police and why was there no case number given nor a case opened.
READ: Ramaphosa to be called back to answer questions on Phala Phala
Ramaphosa said: “I reported it as one would report. And when you report to the police general, you expect that processes will unfold in the way that they should and in the end the police general will be able to answer that question.”
When dealing with the Phala Phala supplementary questions from last month, EFF leader Julius Malema accused Ramaphosa of thinking “he was special” by not opening a criminal case at the police station like any other citizen.
Malema asked Ramaphosa which procedure he followed by reporting the crime to Rhoode, who is his main protector.
Malema said:
He added that the person who had called Ramaphosa to inform him about the crime at the farm was the one who should have called the police or should have gone to the police station to report the matter.
“Please accept that you abused your power and you thought there was something special about you,” said Malema to Ramaphosa “You see yourself above and that is why you report crimes to [police] generals and not to the charge office. You abused your power as the president of the Republic and you ought to accept.”
However, Ramaphosa said he did not believe he abused his power. He said he was surrounded by police officials and when he informed Rhoode he was informing a police official.
“Even at the time on my farm, my manager interacted with police officials who were involved with the whole process. So, I want to dispute the argument that I abused my power. I am not the type of person who will abuse my position or my power.”
Ramaphosa said having reported the matter to the police officials, he believed that they would do what they needed to do to ensure that the matter was properly handled.
Ramaphosa said:
