IPID yet to decide whether to investigate ATM’s complaint regarding police role in Phala Phala farm saga

The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) says it is yet to decide whether to go ahead with an investigation into police conduct in the alleged cover-up of the theft at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm.

The African Transformation Movement (ATM) wrote to the police watchdog to investigate claims that top cops covered up the incident. Former spy boss Arthur Fraser, opened a criminal case against the President claiming that there was an attempt to cover up the theft of millions of US dollars from his Limpopo farm.

Fraser accused the President of kidnapping, bribery, money laundering, and concealing a crime.

Ramaphosa has denied any wrongdoing.

IPID spokesperson Lizzy Suping says they need to ascertain if the complaint falls within their mandate.

“Section 28/1.8 provides IPID to can investigate offences that are referred to us as a result of a decision by the Executive Director of IPID or the minister or the MEC. So the letter that we received from the ATM has not been fully accessed because the information contained in that letter was very limited. We have requested the ATM representative to avail themselves to us so we can have an interview and obtain a formal statement from them. Once we’ve obtained that statement, we’ll then make an assessment as to whether should we fully investigate their complaint or not.”

IPID spokesperson Lizzy Suping speaking on SAFM’s Beyond The Headline:

Setback for ruling party

On Tuesday newly-elected Gauteng African National Congress (ANC) Chairperson, Panyaza Lesufi, described the Phala Phala farm saga associated with the President as a major setback for the ruling party.

Lesufi says this could reverse the progress made in the fight against corruption.

“It’s a major setback. I think even our president knows that we were on the right course to fight corruption. We were on the right course to project our president as a person whos’ taking this country forward. We were on the right course to say our president has demonstrated that he is willing to work on behalf of this country. So, the Phala Phala farming is a major setback. It took us almost 19 steps backward, but I remain hopeful that the president will attend to it. But I’m glad the president subjected himself to processes of law enforcement agencies.”

Lesufi adds that no one has a right to pre-determine whether or not President Ramaphosa should step aside as per ANC policy.

He says this must await a decision by authorities regarding whether to file charges.

Meanwhile, President Ramaphosa has stated that he is ready to step aside if criminally charged, as outlined in the video below: