By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
An Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) report has found that the presidential police security detail deliberately concealed the theft of US Dollars from Phala Phala game farm.
The Phala Phala saga began in June 2022 when criminal charges were laid against President Cyril Ramaphosa and members of his security detail.
Former director-general at the State Security Agency Arthur Fraser alleged that Ramaphosa and his team had covered up a February 2020 burglary at his game farm, where large sums of foreign currency—allegedly concealed in furniture—were stolen.
The money was around $580,000, was said to be a payment from Sudanese businessman Hazim Mustafa for 20 buffalo.
The report, compiled by the IPID and declassified after a legal battle led by ActionSA, concludes that no case docket was registered, no official investigation initiated. Instead, state resources were deployed in what IPID determined to be an unlawful investigation into what was effectively a private matter.
Police Minister Firoz Cachalia said the report was declassified on 2 February 2026.
Cachalia said the Ipid report had been classified as ‘top secret’ to protect the integrity of the investigation, witnesses, and South African Police Service (Saps) members who might have been implicated and to ensure that Saps members do not see their names in public platforms before their trial commences.
According to the IPID report, Ramaphosa informed head of security detail Willie Rhoode about a break-in at his Phala Phala farm and the subsequent theft of cash.
But a case number for the matter was only registered with the police two years later, after the matter was exposed publicly.
The IPID report shows that in 2020, Rhoode ran an off-the-books mission to recoup the president’s money.
Rhoode was joined by Constable Hulani Rekhoto and Ramaphosa’s political advisor, Bejani Chauke, in his exploits.
This included interviewing suspects at the Limpopo-based farm, chasing leads in Cape Town and even travelling to Namibia.
The report said Rhoode used police resources for his rogue mission, but in official records, he disguised the purpose of the trips as official work for the president.
Rhoode was subjected to an internal disciplinary process regarding this matter and was found not guilty.
IPID concluded that the misconduct “detrimentally affects the image of the Service” and justifies an expedited process and has called for feedback on when such proceedings will be initiated and how they will be finalised in line with its oversight mandate.
While this report is now declassified, other investigations into the Phala Phala matter have been made public.
In August 2023, the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) concluded that no exchange control laws had been violated in the alleged transaction between Phala Phala farm and Mustafa.
SARB’s investigation focused on whether the sale of buffalo to Mustafa constituted a breach of exchange control regulations.
The central bank determined that there was no contravention because the transaction had never been “perfected.”
In other words, since the buffalo were never delivered, the deal did not meet the necessary conditions to require a declaration under exchange control laws.
The report of the Protector, Adv Kholeka Gcaleka, also absolved the President of alleged abuse of power or breaches of the Executive Ethics Code.
ActionSA national chairperson Michael Beaumont said disciplinary measures must be taken against all three.
“ActionSA’s parliamentary team is writing to the portfolio committees on the Presidency and on police to institute an urgent inquiry into the failure to comply with the recommendations of the IPID report, as well as the apparent abuse of executive authority.”
A Constitutional Court judgment on whether Parliament erred in its handling of the Section 89 panel report on Phala Phala meanwhile is expected within a month, almost 500 days it heard the matter.