Phala Phala: Let’s not play politics with investigations

27 September 2022

Note to editor: This is the speech that was delivered by GOOD Secretary-General and Member of Parliament, Brett Herron, during today’s debate on the proposed DA Motion to Establish an ad hoc Committee on the Phala Phala game farm matter. 

The fog of legitimate unanswered questions relating to the breach in security at the President’s farm and theft of piles of cash has enormous destructive power.

Brushing the questions aside as being part of the politics of the day thickens the fog instead of clearing it. 

We repeat our call on the President to urgently take South Africans into his confidence by providing coherent explanations for the vast sums of cash kept at his farm and why, when the money was stolen, the theft wasn’t reported through normal police channels.

By offering a credible explanation the President would defend his own integrity and that of the country, and materially contribute to breaking the toxic cycle of allegations of criminality being weaponised by politicians and media.

These are serious allegations and they require serious responses.

By refusing to provide answers, the President creates space for political opportunism at a time that the country can least afford it. 

It is very difficult to take this motion seriously given that the allegations are already the subject of unprecedented scrutiny.

The Hawks are conducting a criminal investigation.

IPID is investigating allegations of unlawful police involvement in covering up the crime.

There is a newly appointed Inspector-General of Intelligence who will be held to account for investigating alleged unlawful intelligence involvement in the matter.

The Public Protector is investigating a complaint that the President breached the Executive Ethics Act and Code.

The Financial Surveillance Department of the South African Reserve Bank is probing whether there has been any contraventions of our exchange control regulations

And, as we know, Parliament is already dealing with a motion that the President has breached Section 89 of the Constitution and should be impeached.

Yes, we’d like these processes to hurry up.

But what we don’t need is another highly politicised special committee that is not conceived to serve the cause of justice but to enable a renewed feeding frenzy by opposition politicians – both inside and outside the ruling party.

Mature politicians, who respect and promote the rule of law and are committed to due process, should approach matters of such significance as this with sobriety. Frivolous motions designed to attract publicity are not mature or helpful.

What’s at stake is of far too much consequence to be reduced to a political plaything. Parliament must deal with evidence of wrongdoing, if there is any, when those who are constitutionally mandated to conduct such investigations have done their work. That is our job.

Until then, it is our duty to monitor the ongoing processes to ensure that they proceed without fear or favour.

Issued by Brett Herron, GOOD: Secretary-General & Member of Parliament, 27 September 2022