CAPE TOWN – Malema is once again placing President Cyril Ramaphosa’s controversial Phala Phala farm robbery at the center of national debate, saying the scandal is far from resolved. Speaking at the Economic Freedom Fighters’ (EFF) 12th anniversary celebration in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, Julius Malema vowed to push for the reopening of the matter before Parliament.
The EFF leader announced that he will urge Parliament’s ad hoc committee—set up to investigate allegations of police corruption raised by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi—to include the Phala Phala robbery in its investigations. According to Malema, the farm robbery is deeply connected to law enforcement misconduct and must not be buried.
Addressing thousands of EFF supporters during the party’s anniversary rally on Saturday, Malema claimed that the Phala Phala scandal serves as a glaring example of how state institutions—particularly the police—are used to cover up elite wrongdoing.
“That Phala Phala issue is not dead,” said Malema, to a cheering crowd dressed in red. “We are going to find a way of bringing it into this ad hoc committee because even in that Phala Phala, there was police corruption that happened.”
Malema Says Phala Phala Is a Symbol of Police Corruption and Cover-Ups
The scandal refers to the 2020 burglary at President Ramaphosa’s private game farm near Bela-Bela in Limpopo, where an undisclosed sum—reportedly millions of US dollars—was stolen. The money had allegedly been hidden in furniture, and its existence only came to light when former spy boss Arthur Fraser filed a criminal complaint against Ramaphosa in 2022.
Although the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) announced that it would not be pursuing criminal charges against the president, citing insufficient evidence, Malema and the EFF have maintained that justice was not served and that critical questions remain unanswered.
In his address, Malema called on South Africans to actively engage with the upcoming ad hoc committee on police corruption, encouraging whistleblowers and insiders to come forward with relevant information. He emphasized that the Phala Phala saga is tied to broader patterns of criminal behavior within the South African Police Service (SAPS), which must be exposed.
“Supporters and members of the public must go to that committee with any information they have. This is not just about one farm. This is about a rotten system that protects the powerful,” said Malema.
The EFF leader also voiced support for KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, whose recent revelations of high-level police corruption prompted the formation of the parliamentary committee. Mkhwanazi alleged political interference in policing and said that senior officers were protecting criminal networks operating within the force.
According to Malema, the lack of accountability in the Phala Phala case undermines the credibility of South Africa’s democratic institutions. He criticized Parliament’s initial handling of the matter and accused the ruling African National Congress (ANC) of shielding Ramaphosa from scrutiny.
“This president violated laws and used the police to cover it up. We were told to move on, but we will not. There is no moving on without accountability,” said Malema, adding that the EFF will use every available parliamentary tool to revive the investigation.
Legal experts and civil society groups have echoed similar concerns, questioning why foreign currency was stored on a private property without being declared and why no arrests were made despite a serious security breach.
The call to action came during a high-energy celebration marking the EFF’s 12th anniversary, an event that drew thousands to the streets of Khayelitsha. Red berets, revolutionary songs, and impassioned speeches defined the day, with Malema setting the tone for the party’s next chapter.
He used the platform not only to reignite public interest in the Phala Phala case but also to outline the EFF’s ongoing fight against corruption, inequality, and institutional decay. “We are not just a protest movement. We are a government-in-waiting, and we will hold everyone to account, including the president,” he declared.
As Malema continues to challenge Ramaphosa and the broader political establishment, his insistence on revisiting the Phala Phala matter reflects the EFF’s broader agenda to tackle elite impunity. Whether Parliament will heed his call remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Malema is not letting go of the scandal that nearly toppled a presidency.
With Parliament’s ad hoc committee expected to begin work in the coming weeks, the spotlight may once again fall on South Africa’s most controversial farm—and the unanswered questions that still surround it.
Source- EWN
