Former State Security Agency head Arthur Fraser claims he was offered R50-million, state protection and a “blank cheque” after opening a criminal case against President Cyril Ramaphosa over the Phala Phala scandal, and was later threatened after refusing to back down.
In an exclusive interview with former Sunday World freelance journalist Mzilikazi wa Afrika for his upcoming podcast, Unpopular Opinion, Fraser claimed attempts were made to persuade him to “make the matter go away” less than two weeks after he opened the criminal complaint at the Rosebank police station on June 1, 2022.
Sunday World obtained exclusive access to portions of the five-hour interview.
The allegations emerge days after the Constitutional Court revived the stalled impeachment process against Ramaphosa over the alleged Phala Phala saga.
In a ruling that struck a major blow to the president, the court declared unconstitutional a Parliamentary rule that effectively stopped an impeachment process against him. It also invalidated a vote in the National Assembly in December 2022 where majority ANC MPs blocked the adoption of a Section 89 Independent Panel Report that found the president had a case to answer.
The court ordered Parliament to establish a formal impeachment committee to investigate allegations surrounding the theft of foreign currency from Ramaphosa’s Limpopo game farm in 2020.
Ramaphosa has consistently denied wrongdoing and maintained the money came from the legitimate sale of game animals. But Fraser claims what followed after he opened the case exposed what he describes as a coordinated effort to neutralise the complaint.
“That happened on the 15th of June 2022,” he said of the alleged approach. “It’s not even 14 days after I opened the case.”
He alleged that a former associate was approached by slain Cape Town businessman Mark Lifman.
According to him, Lifman allegedly said he had become acquainted with a person in Ramaphosa’s inner circle.
Fraser then described what he claims was an extraordinary proposal. “He indicated that the president had asked him to make this matter go away. And that he was offering me R50-million to collapse this case.”
According to Fraser, the alleged offer extended beyond money. “He indicated that I could choose any department I wanted in government.
“They would give it to me, including intelligence.”
The former head of state security also alleged he was promised protection from criminal scrutiny. “They would stop the investigations being run against me,” he said. “But more than that, they would also stop investigations being run against people associated with me.”
In another explosive revelation, he claimed that he was also promised that adverse findings against him by the Zondo Commission of Inquiry into State Capture could also disappear if he collaborated. “They told me they would get chairperson Zondo to amend his findings against me in the Zondo commission report,” Fraser alleged.
“When this fellow gave me this feedback, I said, ‘No, this is not possible. This is too far fetched.’”
The Zondo commission found that Fraser had operated as a “law unto himself”, presiding over a “complete lack of accountability” and the “massive abuse” of SSA assets.
He was implicated in diverting roughly R600-million to illegal projects, including buying cars and houses in private names, and the commission recommended investigating him for criminal acts.
But Fraser claimed he became alarmed when the handover of the commission’s final report was later delayed. “I think the next day or two, I see a statement from the president stating that the Zondo final report has been delayed,” he said.
“And then I realised – this thing can’t be a coincidence.”
He further alleged that a second meeting intensified the pressure on him to drop the Phala Phala case. “He (Fraser’s associate) goes to see Mark, and Mark tells him the R50-million is off the table. “In actual fact, it’s a blank cheque.
“You must just put the number – how much you want.”
Fraser said he rejected the alleged offer outright. “I told him, ‘No man, I’m not interested.’”
But according to him, the pressure soon turned into threats.
During one meeting, one of the president’s advisers or close associates was apparently placed on speakerphone.
“The adviser calls Mark (Lifman) while they’re sitting together,” Fraser alleged. “And asks Mark, ‘Have you met these people, and what do they say?’”
The caller then issued what Fraser said he interpreted as a warning. “Please tell them that if they don’t take this offer, we have already spoken to a businessman,” he alleged the caller said.
He mentioned the businessman as “Mswazi” referring to the late taxi boss Jotham Msibi.
“And if (we) don’t take this offer, they will get the businessman to deal with us.”
“That is what my comrade says he heard on the phone,” Fraser said.
“I told him to get lost.”
Fraser alleged that he later informed his lawyer about the developments. “I then contacted my counsel, and I told him: ‘These things are happening.
“And he tells me, ‘But I’ve also been approached by a politician and offered similar offerings to what you had.’”
Fraser said the alleged parallel approaches convinced him that there was a broader operation underway.
“So this means there’s a concerted effort now,” he said.
The former intelligence boss also questioned why prosecutors declined to pursue his criminal complaint while prosecutions against suspects accused of stealing from Phala Phala continued.
Fraser said his matter was effectively shut down.
“My case is closed. They said there was nothing. They couldn’t prosecute. And that decision was taken by the DPP.”
At the same time, he noted that criminal proceedings involving suspects accused of stealing money from the farm remain active.
Fraser also suggested findings by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate contradicted the decision not to prosecute on the case he filed.
“The Ipid painted a different picture,” he said. “And you have to ask: on what basis did they decide not to prosecute my case?”
“That is not possible.”
The presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya did not respond to request for comment.
- Former SSA head Arthur Fraser alleges he was offered R50 million, state protection, and a "blank cheque" to drop a criminal case he opened against President Cyril Ramaphosa over the Phala Phala scandal, and was later threatened when he refused.
- The court recently revived the impeachment process against Ramaphosa after invalidating a Parliamentary rule and vote that previously blocked it, ordering a formal investigation into the foreign currency theft at Ramaphosa’s Limpopo farm.
- Fraser claims the president’s inner circle approached him shortly after he opened the case, offering various inducements including government positions, immunity from investigations, and amendments to the Zondo Commission findings against him.
- After rejecting the offers, Fraser alleges the pressure escalated into threats involving the late taxi boss Jotham Msibi, signaling a concerted effort to neutralize his complaint.
- Despite Fraser’s complaint being closed by the DPP due to lack of prosecution, he highlights ongoing prosecutions against other suspects and suggests evidence from the Independent Police Investigative Directorate contradicts the decision not to pursue his case.
