Africa-Press – South-Africa. Acting Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka says investigations, such as the probe into the Phala Phala matter implicating President Cyril Ramaphosa, usually take around two to three years to conclude.
Her office, she says, will not rush to conclude the investigation because of political pressure or the looming ANC elective conference, where Ramaphosa is seeking a second term.
However, Gcaleka says her office is working hard to resolve the investigation timeously, without rushing through due process.
“I wish to assure you that colleagues are working tirelessly around the clock (to conclude the investigation) and not for the December ANC conference. Not for that…
“It is to ensure that there is proper accountability that comes out of our investigation on what transpired in Phala Phala, what comes out of the investigation, and what should then be done for the future of this country, not for expediency,” she said.
Gcaleka was engaging editors at a roundtable, which was hosted by the South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) on Tuesday.
Ramaphosa is being investigated for allegedly contravening the Executive Members’ Ethics Act in relation to a robbery of millions in US dollars from his Phala Phala farm.
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The complaints were laid after a criminal case was opened by former spy boss Arthur Fraser, who alleged, among other things, that Ramaphosa was involved in money laundering, linked to wads of foreign currency allegedly stashed in a couch on his farm.
News24 reported that Ramaphosa said the money – $580 000 – was from the proceeds of game sold to a Sudanese businessman, Mustaf Mohamed Ibrahim Hazim.
Ramaphosa confirmed the money was hidden under a “sofa cushion” and claimed he could provide a receipt for the cash transaction.
The acting Public Protector said she had bolstered the team working on the investigation, in the hope that it would be concluded timeously.
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As we have done in the Phala Phala investigation, we have increased and reinforced the team. We have two dedicated investigators, as opposed to one initially. We have an executive manager, we got the COO, we have legal services and the research unit, which is working dedicatedly together with the investigators in Phala Phala to ensure that they do not skip a step in their investigation, she said.
She objected to calls that her office should release information handed over during the course of the investigation.
“I don’t think the public is looking for a scoop. Yes, we want scoops here and there. But, in this instance, we want accountability that is going to come with consequences. And where is that going to derive from? It is going to derive from thorough, conceptualised investigations.”
While the law calls for such investigations to be concluded in 30 days, Gcaleka said that would be “impossible”.
She said there were similar investigations into the contravention of the Executive Members’ Ethics Act which took up to 40 months to conclude. She further noted that the average time was two to three years.
Gcaleka said her office would not buckle to pressure, both from the public and from political parties, amid calls for her to release Ramaphosa’s response to the 31 questions sent to him related to accusations of wrongdoing as well as alleged money laundering.
“Not even I have seen the responses to Phala Phala because they were not sent to me. They were sent to the investigator in Phala Phala.
“At this stage, it is none of my business to know what the president said. I cannot be inquisitive. I have to allow the investigative process to continue, and it’s clearly important not to give the investigators any sort of pressure, that there is this perception their investigations must be inclined to a certain extent.
“We have seen those things happening,” she said.
Gcaleka is adamant that she will not act with expediency in the matter or allow the investigation to “become a political football”.
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