Africa-Press – South-Africa. Dubai businessman Hazim Mustafa, who bought buffaloes from President Cyril Ramaphosa, will send his legal team to South Africa to finalise the exportation of the animals he bought from the president’s Phala Phala farm in 2019.
The businessman forked out $580 000 (R10 million) cash for 20 buffaloes from the “cash-strapped” Limpopo farm.
In an interview with eNCA’s Annika Larsen, recorded in Dubai, Mustafa said he or his lawyers would make their way to South Africa to finalise the purchase after the conclusion of a probe into the farmgate scandal.
In the interview aired on Thursday evening, Mustafa said he would expect a “refund” if the animals weren’t up to standard.
“After the investigation is finished, either I will go, or my legal team will go there to negotiate with them. If they (the buffaloes) are not there, or not to the quality which I asked for and chose, they should refund me, and maybe I can buy other animals from them. This issue will not affect my business with Phala Phala.”
He said he believed the Covid-19 pandemic and restrictions had contributed to the delay in processing the game’s exportation.
In June, former correctional services boss and State Security Agency director-general Arthur Fraser opened a criminal case against Ramaphosa, alleging that he had concealed a burglary at the Limpopo farm from the police and the taxman in February 2020. He said roughly US$4 million cash was stolen.
Earlier this month, Ramaphosa survived a bid to explore the possibility of impeachment after the ANC in Parliament voted against the adoption of a Section 89 panel report that found that he may have violated the Constitution.
A panel headed by former chief justice Sandile Ngcobo released the report after a preliminary investigation into allegations of a cover-up of the theft at the farm. The report found that the president may have involved himself in a conflict between his official duties and private business.
Mustafa said he entered the country through OR Tambo International Airport and declared the money at customs. He said it was not unusual for him to carry that much money.
Mustafa added that he was aware of the investigation into the Phala Phala scandal. He said police and the Office of the Public Protector had contacted him telephonically and via email.
He said he was shocked when he heard about the burglary at the president’s farm because he expected it to be secure.
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