United Democratic Movement (UDM) leader General Bantu Holomisa has described the final report into the Phala Phala farm matter by acting Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka as an “engineered cover-up”.
Holomisa was reacting to the “delayed” announcement clearing President Cyril Ramaphosa of wrongdoing in the Phala Phala farm scandal. Gcaleka said she had found no evidence that Ramaphosa had violated the executive ethics code.
Holomisa said his party did not take Gcaleka‘s report seriously as it failed to hold Ramaphosa accountable in spite of the evidence before her.
Holomisa said: “There are no surprises at all, given that his comrades openly engineered this cover up. This is the outcome of that plan.
“You will recall that the real PP sent questions to the president and a day after this she was suspended. The Western Cape High Court also found that her suspension was unlawful. Six months later, the Constitutional Court has yet to pronounce as to whether the WC judgment was legitimate or not.
“It is strange that the acting PP will come up with an outcome that is clear that she was appointed to destroy the entire investigation.”
Zungula also voiced his disappointment in the manner in which Gcaleka handled the matter. It was clear that her verdict would vindicate Ramaphosa in the matter involving unexplained and undeclared millions of American dollars found in Ramaphosa’s farm, he said.
On Friday, during a press briefing, Gcaleka released her report that found that Ramaphosa had not breached the executive code of ethics in the Phala Phala saga.
The acting public protector said there was also no conflict between the president and his private interest in his Phala Phala farm. $582 000 was stolen from the Limpopo farm sometime in February 2020.
A complaint was lodged last year by opposition parties after it emerged that Ramaphosa had hidden these dollars under sofas and mattresses on the farm. The money was subsequently stolen by a group of Namibian citizens acting in cahoots with Ramaphosa’s domestic worker.
The former head of the State Security Agency, Arthur Fraser, laid a complaint about the matter at the Rosebank police station on June 1 last year.
Zungula said the party condemned the acting public protector for having subjected the country to undue delays in announcing her verdict on the matter.
This was after it was the subject of a full bench of the High Court on September 9 last year. The court unanimously ruled that the suspension of Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane by Ramaphosa was unlawful, as well as his urgent November 24 application.
Zungula yesterday said: “According to the Superior Courts Act, every effort must be made by the judges to hand down judgments within three months . Yet astonishingly, it has now been eight months since the matter was brought before the Constitutional Court, leaving the PP and the entire nation in a state of limbo and uncertainty. The delay either speak of gross incompetence at the highest level of judiciary, or a court actively aiding an unlawful act by the president.”
The DA also slammed Gcaleka, with its leader John Steenhuisen saying the acting PP had erred both in law and reason.
“It’s a complete and utter cop out. She has gone to find Wally Rhoode guilty for investigating the but does not draw the obvious link on how he is involved in the matter,” Steenhuisen said.