The public protector's finding comes days after the SA Revenue Service said Ramaphosa and the Ntaba Nyoni Estate, which runs the Phala Phala farm, were tax compliant.
Parliament voted against the establishment of an impeachment committee late last year after a panel report found Ramaphosa had a case to answer in the Phala Phala saga.
The public protector’s report was damning of the head of Ramaphosa’s protection services, Maj-Gen Wally Rhoode. It said Rhoode acted improperly for conducting an “unofficial criminal investigation” in pursuit of the burglars who broke into the farm in 2020.
EFF leader Julius Malema previously accused Ramaphosa of “being arrogant in his criminality and behaving like someone who did nothing wrong”.
“A president, after receiving such a [panel] report, has the responsibility to come out to reassure the markets and the nation that things are in order. But he abandoned that. He abandoned his accountability to parliament. He went into hiding.”
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POLL | What do you think of the acting public protector clearing Ramaphosa of wrongdoing?
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A public protector’s report largely clearing President Cyril Ramaphosa of wrongdoing in the Phala Phala saga has sparked strong debate.
Acting public protector advocate Kholeka Gcaleka sent her report, compiled after a complaint from African Transformation Movement leader Vuyolwethu Zungula, to interested parties late last week.
The Sunday Times said the report found no evidence Ramaphosa violated the ethics code, nor that his financial interests in game and cattle farming at Phala Phala exposed him to the risk of a conflict between his official presidential responsibilities and his private interests.
The paper said Gcaleka did not find any truth to allegations Ramaphosa was receiving remuneration or had any form of paid work relating to the farm while a member of the executive.
While some welcomed the report, others said it was a “political finding”. A few questioned how there was no conflict of Ramaphosa’s interests.
The public protector's finding comes days after the SA Revenue Service said Ramaphosa and the Ntaba Nyoni Estate, which runs the Phala Phala farm, were tax compliant.
Parliament voted against the establishment of an impeachment committee late last year after a panel report found Ramaphosa had a case to answer in the Phala Phala saga.
The public protector’s report was damning of the head of Ramaphosa’s protection services, Maj-Gen Wally Rhoode. It said Rhoode acted improperly for conducting an “unofficial criminal investigation” in pursuit of the burglars who broke into the farm in 2020.
EFF leader Julius Malema previously accused Ramaphosa of “being arrogant in his criminality and behaving like someone who did nothing wrong”.
“A president, after receiving such a [panel] report, has the responsibility to come out to reassure the markets and the nation that things are in order. But he abandoned that. He abandoned his accountability to parliament. He went into hiding.”
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
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