By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Major-General Wally Rhoode, has been slapped with a notice of suspension related to his role in the Phala Phala theft, during which it was alleged by former State Security Agency boss Arthur Fraser that $4-million (R61-million) was stolen at Ramaphosa’s farm in Limpopo.
Ramaphosa was away at the time attending an African Union summit in Ethiopia.
The president has since told Public Protector investigators, in a written response to questions posed by the office, that the exact amount was $580 000 (R10.5 million at current exchange rates) in cash.
The mastermind behind the theft, Fraser alleges, was Ramaphosa’s domestic worker at the farm. He further claims that the employee not only received one of the R150,000 pay-offs but also was ultimately reinstated in her job after some patriarchal man-talk between Ramaphosa and her father.
Rhoode, a South African Police Service (SAPS) official, was appointed to head the Presidential Protection Service (PPS) in 2018 after he served as head of security for Ramaphosa’s CR17 campaign and has since been demoted.
He was served with a notice of an internal investigation to determine the facts around the burglary and more importantly, Rhoode’s role and actions in the immediate aftermath.
Prior to the finalisation of the investigation, however, Rhoode was asked to respond to three charges and provide reasons to explain why he should not be suspended.
Rhoode is facing three charges of serious misconduct, including that he failed to open a case after the break-in at the farm and instead decided to conduct an investigation himself.
“On 2020-06-26 to 2020-06-27 you allegedly committed misconduct by misrepresenting the facts to the national commissioner when you indicated in terms of your itinerary that you were travelling to Namibia for protection duties of the president whereas in truth the president did not travel to Namibia and had no plans of travelling to that country, read the suspension notice that Fullview has seen.
On the trip to Namibia, Rhoode contends he had accompanied Ramaphosa’s adviser Bejani Chauke on official duty.
Rhoode had been reporting directly to the national police commissioner, a practice that was started under former president Jacob Zuma, while the true hierarchy of the Protection and Security Services (PSS) meant Rhoode should have reported to Brigadier Sam Shitlabane, the head of PSS.
Rhoode and Ramaphosa have both denied any wrongdoing.
Ramaphosa is facing what may be the most personally damaging moment of his presidency.
National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula appointed the Section 89 inquiry panel following a motion by ATM for Ramaphosa’s removal on the grounds of “a serious violation of the Constitution or the law and serious misconduct”.
According to documents, the first charge to be investigated is the alleged violation of Section 96 (2)(a), read with Section 83 (b) of the Constitution.
The second charge against Ramaphosa alleged that he violated Section 34(1) of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act of 2004.