Court questions link between Phala Phala cash and Ramaphosa’s alleged paid work

Advocate Kessler Perumalsamy, representing former ATM Member of Parliament Vuyolwethu Zungula, asserts that the Section 89 Independent Panel examined the damning evidence and President Cyril Ramaphosa's account, concluding it is improbable that the latter is accurate. Perumalsamy contends that the panel considered the evidence and was not convinced by the explanation of events surrounding the theft of $580,000 from his farm in Namibia.

The Western Cape High Court is currently hearing an application by President Ramaphosa to invalidate the report, which alleged that he may have committed a serious breach of his oath of office concerning the theft at his Phala Phala farm. Perumalsamy contends that there is ample evidence to support the claim that the president issued an unlawful order when he reported the Phala Phala incident to his head of security, Major-General Wally Rhoode.

Perumalsamy argues that the Section 89 Independent Panel report did not clarify how foreign currency was utilized in the Phala Phala controversy, but the panel concluded that President Cyril Ramaphosa was engaged in paid work and thus, contravened a constitutional provision.