Pretoria - President Cyril Ramaphosa has confirmed that there was a robbery at his farm in February 2020 and that money was stolen.
However, he has denied claims made by former State Security Agency director-general Arthur Fraser that he had a part in concealing the crime.
In a statement released by the Presidency yesterday, Ramaphosa said he had reported the matter to the head of his SAPS detail.
Yesterday the Pretoria News reported that the former spy boss had laid criminal charges at the Rosebank police station in Johannesburg, accusing Ramaphosa of concealing an incident where $4 million (more than R60m) was stolen. Fraser claimed that Ramaphosa paid people to conceal the matter after they were tortured.
Fraser wrote in a statement circulated on social media that he had laid a charge of defeating the ends of justice and kidnapping suspects who were allegedly interrogated, and further claimed that he had handed over supporting documents including photographs, bank accounts and video footage as evidence.
Yesterday’s statement by the Presidency said that Ramaphosa was aware of the criminal charges laid against him by Fraser.
The statement said in part: “The Presidency has been made aware through a media statement that Mr Arthur Fraser has lodged a complaint with the South African Police Service against President Cyril Ramaphosa.
“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 February 9, 2020, in which proceeds from the sale of game were stolen.”
The statement said that Ramaphosa was attending an AU summit in Addis Ababa at the time of the incident and that he had, on being advised of the robbery, reported the incident to the head of the Presidential Protection Unit of the SAPS for investigation.
“President Ramaphosa stands ready to co-operate with any law enforcement investigation of these matters.
“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 added.
In a media statement, also circulated on social media on Wednesday, Fraser said he had laid formal criminal charges against Ramaphosa at Rosebank on Wednesday.
“Today (Wednesday) I have taken the unprecedented step to lay charges against His Excellency of the Republic of South Africa, Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa.
“The details of the charges and supporting evidence including photographs, bank accounts, video footage and names are contained in my statement filed at the Rosebank police station,” Fraser said in the statement.
“The charges emanate from the theft of millions of US dollars (in excess of 4 million dollars) concealed within the premises of the president’s Phala farm in Waterberg, Limpopo, by criminals who were colluding with his domestic worker.
“They also include defeating the ends of justice, kidnapping of suspects, their interrogation on his property and bribery.
“The president concealed the crime from the SAPS and Sars (SA Revenue Service) and thereafter paid the culprits for their silence.
“I trust that the police and the prosecuting authorities will investigate this matter without fear or favour. I also trust that the president will take the nation into his confidence and accept or deny that the events described in my affidavit occurred on his property.”
Fraser also made headlines this week when he demanded that the National Prosecuting Authority prosecute Ramaphosa’s security adviser, Dr Sydney Mufamadi, for alleged perjury at the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture.
Pretoria News