South Africa convicts two for stealing over $580,000 at farm owned by President Ramaphosa

South African court has convicted two of the three people accused of stealing $580,000 from President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala game farm in Limpopo province in 2020.

The Modimolle Regional Court found Imanuwela David and Floriana Joseph guilty of their involvement in the theft, while the third accused, Ndilinasho Joseph, was acquitted of all charges.

Magistrate Peter Manthata said cellphone records provided sufficient evidence linking David and Floriana to the robbery, which involved cash allegedly stuffed into a sofa at the president’s farm.

“Considering the evidence in its totality, the only inference I can draw under the circumstances is that the communication between the accused one and two was about the dollar hidden under the couch at the house in the Phala Phala farm. I therefore, find that the two conspired about the breaking in and a stealing of the money in the said house.”

The court also heard that David used part of the stolen money to purchase a vehicle and an apartment for his then-girlfriend, state broadcaster SABC reports.

Manthata said David bought her a Mercedes-Benz C200, valued at about 500,000 rand, and gave her 100,000 rand towards the deposit for an apartment.

Unreported crime

The theft remained largely unknown until June 2022, when Arthur Fraser, South Africa's former intelligence chief and an ally of former president Jacob Zuma, brought it to public attention.

Fraser filed a criminal complaint against Ramaphosa, alleging that the president had concealed the theft from the police and tax authorities. He also questioned how the president had handled the incident and the circumstances surrounding the large amount of foreign currency kept at his private farm.

Ramaphosa acknowledged that the burglary had taken place but denied any wrongdoing.

Following Fraser's allegations, an independent parliamentary panel in 2022 concluded that Ramaphosa could have questions to answer over the incident, raising the possibility of an impeachment process. However, members of parliament voted against establishing an impeachment inquiry.

In May 2026, South Africa's Constitutional Court ruled that parliament had acted unlawfully when it voted to reject the panel's report without properly considering it. In July, Ramaphosa moved to block a parliamentary inquiry through proceedings at a provincial court.

The court has postponed the case until November 13, 2026, for sentencing.

TRT Afrika and agencies — TRT Afrika and agencies

Photo: AP