2020 Phala Phala Robbery

[8] Opposition parties and MPs have slammed investigations into the source of the cash, and have accused the South African Reserve Bank of a providing claptrap report and systemic coverup.

[9] On 1 June 2022, former head of the State Security Agency and close ally of former president Jacob Zuma, Arthur Fraser,[10] lodged a criminal complaint against Cyril Ramaphosa for defeating the ends of justice by committing breaches of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act and the Prevention of Corrupt Activities Act of 2004.

[14] It went on to state that the president did not report the crime and that the existence of such a large amount of foreign currency was not declared to the reserve bank despite regulations.

Fraser's complaint also alleged that suspects supposedly involved in the theft were kidnapped and interrogated[11] at the farm[15] and were paid off not to tell anyone of the incident.

[12] The Namibian authorities identified suspects involved in the theft before it became public but allegedly let the matter go following requests from South African state security sources.

[12] Ramaposa stated that he did not report the crime as he did not want to cause alarm within the farming community and instead the presidential security detail investigated the theft.

[17] When the burglary was discovered, the head of the Presidential Protection Unit Major-General Wally Rhoode allegedly became involved, instructed to investigate by Cyril Ramaphosa.

[17] Suspects were eventually traced to Cape Town after the domestic worker was interrogated and her cell phone examined for messages with the burglars.

On 1 June, former Director-general of the State Security Agency and Department of Correctional Services commissioner Arthur Fraser and his lawyer attended the Rosebank Police Station and laid a charge of money laundering, defeating the ends of justice and kidnapping against President Cyril Ramaphosa.

[23] By 3 June 2022, Democratic Alliance leader John Steenhuisen said that his party would be writing to the South African Revenue Service (SARS) calling for the organisation to investigate whether the money had been declared and tax paid.

[23] They would also write to South African Reserve Bank (SARB) asking them to investigate whether the foreign exchange held by Ramaphosa was the result of an illicit flow of funds and whether money laundering was involved.

[25] United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa wrote to the parliamentary speaker on 7 June 2022 requesting that parliament investigate the allegations using a panel of retired judges, and that president should step down during the process and allow the vice-president David Mabuza to assume the role.

On 13 June 2022, ex-ANC spokesperson and Jacob Zuma supporter, Carl Niehaus opened a case of money laundering and kidnapping, at a police station, against Cyril Ramaphosa.

[22] On 15 June 2022, the Hawks investigators met Arthur Fraser and discussed his allegations, provided additional information and he received an update on the case's progress.

[36] The DA also wrote to the South African Revenue Service and the Financial Intelligence Centre requesting they investigate potential crimes.

[36] The Sunday Independent newspaper alleged in late June 2022, that sixteen members of special task force were deployed to investigate the money theft and budgeted out of a secret crime intelligence account.

[37] Three months after the theft, it was alleged the unit was reduced to eight after General Sam Setlhabaneing complained that money was being spent on an operation he knew nothing about.

[37] Deputy Public Protector, Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka requested thirty-one answers to the questions she had sent to President Cyril Ramaphosa.

[41] On 18 July 2022, President Cyril Ramaphosa missed the deadline to answer thirty-one questions put to him by the Office of the Public Protector after it had been extended on 22 June and a further request for an extension was asked for and denied.

[43] In July, despite many requests from opposition parties, the Department of Home Affairs refused to confirm Immanuela David's nationality on the grounds of privacy laws which required the latter to consent to its release.

[44] On 25 July, The Sunday Independent published Presidential Protection Service General Wally Rhoode's alleged responses to questions put to him by the Public Protector.

[45] It was also alleged in Rhoode's statement to the public protector, that he blamed the late Deputy Commissioner Sindile Mfazi for not implementing a proper investigation of the robbery.

[46] At the end of July, Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola stated in an affidavit that no case of theft was ever reported by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

[53] On 14 September 2022, National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula appointed a three-person panel, consisting of former chief Justice Sandile Ngcobo, Judge Thokozile Masipa and Professor Richard Calland to investigate if there was prima facie evidence of criminal activity at Phala Phala farm that could result in the parliamentary impeachment of President Cyril Ramaphosa.

[54] Professor Richard Calland's independence was immediately called into question by opposition MP's stating he had made statements of support for the President in the past.

[63] On 16 November retired Chief Justice Sandile Ngcobo, chairperson of the three-member panel of experts mandated by the speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula to determine if President Cyril Ramaphosa has a prima facie case to answer concerning Phala Phala robbery, was given an extension until November 30 to submit their report.

[72] Prior to the vote, President Cyril Ramaphosa applied to the Constitutional Court to have the Section 89 panel's report declared unlawful and invalid.