Presidency rubbishes farm robbery allegations

The Presidency has quashed allegations of criminal conduct on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s behalf following a burglary at his Limpopo farm during 2020.

This after former Correctional Services Commissioner, Arthur Fraser, released a media statement on Wednesday, alleging that during the 2020 incident, at least $4 million had been stolen from the President’s farm, and that President Ramaphosa had “concealed the crime” from police and the SA Revenue Service and “thereafter paid the culprits for their silence”.

In a statement, the Presidency rubbished those claims.

“President Ramaphosa is clear that there is no basis for the claims of criminal conduct that have been made against him in Mr Fraser’s statement. The Presidency can confirm that a robbery took place at the President’s farm in Limpopo on or around 9 February 2020, in which proceeds from the sale of game were stolen.

“The President was attending an African Union Summit in Addis Ababa at the time the incident occurred. On being advised of the robbery, President Ramaphosa reported the incident to the head of the Presidential Protection Unit of the South African Police Service for investigation,” the statement said.

The Presidency said President Ramaphosa is “ready to cooperate with any law enforcement investigation of these matters” after Fraser laid charges against the President based on the allegations.

“President Ramaphosa remains resolute in leading the fight against corruption, restoring the integrity and capability of public institutions and overcoming the legacy of State capture, and will not be deterred by disinformation campaigns,” the statement read.