PRETORIA – South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has been cleared of any wrongdoing in the Phala Phala farm saga following a year-long investigation by the office of the Public Protector in South Africa.
Acting Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka released her report, stating that Ramaphosa had not breached the Executive Code of Ethics in relation to the Phala Phala farm.
The investigation was initiated after opposition parties lodged a complaint in June of the previous year, following the revelation that $582,000 had been stolen from Ramaphosa’s farm in Limpopo.
Gcaleka’s report also found no evidence of Ramaphosa’s involvement in the sale of buffalo to a Sudanese businessman based in Dubai.
In her findings, Gcaleka stated that there was no basis to conclude that Ramaphosa had breached the Ethics Code. She further noted that the evidence did not support the allegations that Ramaphosa’s financial interest in game or cattle farming at Phala Phala farm created a conflict between his official responsibilities and his private interests.
Therefore, the allegations suggesting that Ramaphosa had violated the provisions of the executive code and exposed himself to a conflict between his constitutional duties and his private interests were not substantiated, according to Gcaleka’s report.
