Mapisa-Nqakula refers Phala Phala matter to intelligence committee

This follows a request from the DA for parliament to establishment an ad hoc committee to investigate the robbery at President Cyril Ramaphosa's farm in 2020.

Mapisa-Nqakula declined the DA's request, instead referring it to a closed meeting of the Joint Standing Committee.

Ramaphosa is facing allegations of money laundering, among others, related to the theft of a large amount of foreign currency at his Phala Phala farm in 2020.  

"The allegations include the fact that Deputy State Security Minister, Zizi Kodwa, knew about the Phala Phala robbery and opted to keep the matter a secret rather than reporting the matter to the appropriate authorities," says Parliament spokesperson Moloto Mothapo.

READ: Ipid to probe police conduct in Phala Phala scandal

"It has also been alleged that Kodwa accompanied Major General Wally Rhoode, the head of the Presidential Protection Unit, during secret interactions between the South African and Namibian authorities, and reports emerged that a secret Crime Intelligence Fund was used to finance the undercover operations which traced the thieves, with the goal of recovering the stolen money. 

"It has been alleged that almost R2 million a month from this fund was spent to send an elite special task force to guard President Ramaphosa's private game farm.

"Should this be true, this would constitute a flagrant abuse of our taxpayer's money," says Mothapo.