EDITORIAL | Whether or not Cyril is preparing to exit, he owes us an explanation

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s reluctance or hesitance to say something about the robbery at his Phala Phala farm is increasingly looking like the attempt of a guilty man to desperately cling on to his political career. 

Ramaphosa says there was a burglary at his property in 2020, a vital nugget of information he shared only after a charge was recently laid against him by former State Security Agency (SSA) director-general Arthur Fraser. The crime is not the issue. The criminality Fraser alleges seems to indicate a sinister cover-up and mission to recover money, as well as target those involved. 

Fraser’s credibility as a source is as troubling as his timing – we are familiar with the dirty tactics used to undermine political authority and destabilise governments, but if the president is innocent he needs to let the country know. 

There have been numerous calls from politicians, civil organisations and members of the public for Ramaphosa to step aside following the allegations.

Addressing the media last week, the president said stepping aside would spark suspicion he is interfering with the police investigation.

Addressing the media last week, the president said stepping aside would spark suspicion he is interfering with the police investigation.

Assuming there is a valid reason for having "millions in foreign currency" in your furniture, the right time to plead his case has come and gone. What is left now is uncertainty about the actual happenings in and around his presidency.

The question on everyone’s mind is, if indeed Ramaphosa has nothing to hide, why does he not proffer an explanation? How much harm could it do?

Opposition parties have homed in on this, and who can blame them? The president has sold the country on the promise of a good, clean and transparent government.

Yet the secrecy around this robbery points to a leader who has much to hide and would rather leave office than take the public into his confidence to quell rumours.

Much has occurred in SA in the three weeks since this matter came to light, from news of efforts to extradite the Gupta brothers to the release of the final state capture report being delayed. However, South Africans deserve to know the truth about the Phala Phala robbery and events since then.

If Ramaphosa is gearing up to leave office, so be it, but he owes to it the nation to clear up the mystery.