Speaker refers allegations of Phala Phala complaint to the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence
11 August 2022
National Assembly (NA) Speaker, Ms Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, has requested the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence through the Chairperson, Mr Jerome Joseph Maake, to consider specific allegations arising out of the Phala-Phala game farm matter.
The referral follows a letter from Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Mr John Steenhuisen asking the Speaker to establish an ad hoc committee to investigate several allegations relating to the farm.
The Speaker declined the request as she was of a view that some of the allegations mentioned by the DA could be considered by existing parliamentary structures, i.e., including the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence.
In this regard, the Speaker has forwarded the following allegations to the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence to consider them in terms of its mandate:
"Deputy State Security Minister, Zizi Kodwa, knew about the Phala Phala robbery and opted to keep the matter a secret rather than reporting the matter to the appropriate authorities. It has also been alleged that Kodwa accompanied Major General Wally Rhoode, the head of the Presidential Protection Unit, during secret interactions between the South African and Namibian authorities; and
"Reports emerged that a secret Crime Intelligence Fund was used to finance the undercover operations which traced the thieves, with the goal of recovering the stolen money. It has been alleged that almost R2 million a month from this fund was spent to send an elite special task force to guard President Ramaphosa's private game farm. Should this be true, this would constitute a flagrant abuse of our taxpayer's money".
Last week the Speaker found the proposed Section 89 motion by the African Transformation Movement compliant with the Rules of the National Assembly. She has since asked parties in Parliament to recommend persons to form part of an Independent Panel of Experts, to which the motion and accompanying evidence will be referred for assessment.
Issued by Parliament, 11 August 2022
