According to Sky News, a Sudanese businessman connected to the Cyril Rampahosa controversy in South Africa has now spoken out.
The alleged theft of $580,000 (£476,000) in cash from the president’s farm, Phala Phala, which had been given over to pay for animals, is at the center of the issue.
Hazim Mustafa is the businessman named in an expert assessment as having given the money. There was some question about whether the purchase had actually been done, but he has since admitted to Sky News that he paid cash for 20 buffaloes in 2019 and that he was unaware that they belonged to Mr. Rampahosa.
“I didn’t know the president owned it. I interacted with a broker at the Phala Phala farm “As reported, Mr. Mustafa said.
The commission that investigated the circumstances surrounding the misappropriation of the proceeds from the sale came to the conclusion that the president needed to explain himself.
Given that neither the lodge manager nor the Sudanese national had given their confirmation, the panel stated that there was “strong doubt” that the sale of the animals actually took place.
The panel said, “We believe that the president has a case to answer on the source of the stolen foreign currency, as well as the underlying transaction for it.
To now, Mr. Ramaphosa has had support from the ruling African National Congress, which has urged him to resist calls for his resignation.
Mr Ramaphosa has come under pressure to resign over the so-called Farmgate affair, which centres on accusations he stashed millions of dollars in sofas at his private game farm and covered up its subsequent theft https://t.co/VLh0scY0Kl
— Sky News (@SkyNews) December 5, 2022
The animals remained at Mr. Rampahosa’s farm after the sale since the Covid epidemic made it hard to ship them abroad, according to Mr. Mustafa, who spoke to Sky News.
It took too long, so I wasn’t able to receive my money back, but there is an understanding that I will be reimbursed, Mr. Mustafa continued.
The businessman from Dubai said that upon his arrival in South Africa, he had more than $500k in cash on him.
He told Sky News, “I declared it, at Johannesburg, sure, O.R. Tambo airport.
