President Cyril Ramaphosa has been cleared of any potential conflicts of interest in regard to more than $500,000 in cash that was taken from his game farm by South Africa’s anti-corruption commission.
The accusation that Ramaphosa breached his oath of office or put himself in the conflict between his constitutional obligations and his personal interests lacked evidence, according to a report issued by acting Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka.
The incident created doubt around Ramaphosa regarding how he received the money and whether he disclosed it. Such doubt on a leader who won the elections on the promise to fight corruption raises serious concerns.
The official in charge of the inquiry stated earlier in June that South African police are wrapping up a separate probe into the money stolen.
Ramaphosa is not facing any criminal charges.
A former intelligence chief last year revealed the claimed heist by giving a statement that some criminals had stolen at least $4 million in foreign currency from Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala game property in February 2020.
The president denies that figure and claimed the corruption watchdog that $580,000 was stolen from a room at the property.
According to the watchdog report, a receipt for that sum pertaining to the sale of buffalo was provided, and the transaction occurred while the president wasn’t present at the ranch. The watchdog’s probe did not cover the issue of whether the money was reported to tax authorities.
In a study on the claims made by the intelligence chief last year, a group of experts chosen by the speaker of parliament concluded that Ramaphosa was answerable for potential misconduct. Ramaphosa’s critics in his own party and opposition parties called for his resignation in response to the report’s conclusions, but Ramaphosa with his African National Congress governing the country used parliamentarian majority to overturn that decision and re-elect him president later in December.
The opposition African Transformation Movement, which holds two out of the 400 seats in Parliament, filed the accusations with the Public Protector, a constitutionally appointed ombudsman with the authority to look into cases of corruption.
The Public Protector’s report was referred to as a “whitewash” by the largest opposition group, the Democratic Alliance.
