By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Cyril Ramaphosa’s farm, Phala Phala. (Photo: Leon Sadiki).
The case against three people implicated in the theft that took place on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm has been postponed.
The trio appeared before the Modimolle Regional Court in Limpopo.
Froliana, along with her brother, David Ndilinasho Joseph, and their accomplice, Imanuwela David, are accused of breaking into the president’s farm and making off with $580,000 – over R10 million in cash.
The incident took place on 9 February 2020.
Froliana, and her brother, Ndilinasho, who are accused number two and three, were granted R5,000 and R10,000 bail, respectively, in November last year.
All three defendants have declared their intention to plead not guilty in court. The prosecution plans to present 22 witnesses, including farm employees, investigating officers, and financial experts who monitored the suspects’ spending patterns following the theft.
They face charges related to the theft of US$580 000 – over R10 million – reported to be payment from a Sudanese businessman for a batch of 20 buffalo. Although the burglary took place in 2020, details only emerged publicly in 2022, sparking intense scrutiny of the president’s response to the incident.
Monday was supposed to be the first day of the highly anticipated trial, with the State having lined up six witnesses.
Froliana arrived in court wearing a face mask, baggy grey sweatpants with her stomach protruding from her black hoodie.
Her lawyer, Relleng Masipa, told the court Froliana was not in a condition to stand trial.
“Accused 2 is not in the position to proceed with the matter due to a medical condition, which we have annexed the letter addressed to the state that there is a medical condition that she’s not in a position to proceed. As a result, we ask that we adjourn the matter to a time where she will be in a good space and a good medical condition to proceed with the matter.”
Lawyers for Froliana Joseph, a former cleaner at the farm, were granted a three-month postponement.
Magistrate Peter Manthata granted a postponement of the matter to 15 September, 2025.
NPA Limpopo spokesperson Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi said the 22 witnesses lined up for the trial showed that the state had a strong case against the three.
However, the president will not be among the witnesses.
“We can get someone from the farm. It could be a manager or administrator to be part of the trial, not the president,” Malabi-Dzhangi said.
While the case focuses on the accused individuals, the broader fallout has weighed heavily on Ramaphosa’s presidency. Questions remain about why the burglary was not reported to the police sooner and concerns about how presidential security handled the recovery of stolen funds outside of formal legal channels.
A parliamentary inquiry in late 2022 suggested that Ramaphosa might face consequences over the matter, though the Constitutional Court subsequently dismissed calls for further legal action. The president has consistently denied any misconduct, maintaining the money was legally earned and that the matter was reported to his security team.
The Phala Phala incident continues to be a politically charged topic, with opposition parties using it to challenge the president’s integrity and transparency. As the criminal trial begins, it is expected to reopen debates about how South African leaders balance private business dealings with public office.