Parliament’s portfolio committee on police plans to ask the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) and the South African Police Service (SAPS) to explain how they have followed the disciplinary recommendations in the 2023 declassified Phala Phala report.
The engagement is expected to take place after the current constituency period, with the meeting date to be communicated in due course.
Committee chair Ian Cameron told Sunday World that the failure to implement IPID recommendations is a longstanding issue and did not arise in the current parliament.
“We will, however, call on IPID and the SAPS to account in parliament for the implementation of the disciplinary recommendations, as that falls within our oversight mandate.
“That engagement will take place after the current constituency period, and the meeting will be communicated in due course,” he said.
The DA parliamentarian added that a key concern would be whether IPID faced any intimidation during the investigation.
“If IPID was subjected to any form of intimidation by the executive, parliament will address that with the full extent of its powers and mandate,” he said.
Bejani Chauke a person of interest
The report, which was released last week, details discrepancies in how the SAPS handled the matter and recommends disciplinary action against members of the Presidential Protection Service.
Major-General Wally Rhoode and Constable HH Rekhoto are singled out for their alleged involvement in a cover-up; however, no action has yet been taken against them.
Sunday World previously reported that IPID found that instead of opening a formal case, Rhoode and his associates conducted a parallel investigation outside the confines of the law.
Suspects were apprehended, interrogated, and, crucially, bribed to conceal the circumstances surrounding the theft of about R8-million in foreign currency.
The report also identifies Bejani Chauke, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s senior advisor, as another person of interest.
IPID found that Chauke travelled with Rhoode during parts of the operation and benefited from state resources despite not being authorised under SAPS VIP protection policies.
This comes amid calls by the African Transformation Movement (ATM) for the committee to summon IPID over the Phala Phala farm investigation report.
The request was made before the report was released.
DA is shielding Ramaphosa
ATM parliamentary leader Vuyo Zungula told Sunday World he believes Cameron is intentionally ignoring the request.
“The DA is part of the GNU [government of national unity], so it will protect Cyril Ramaphosa,” Zungula said.
“The DA used to accuse the ANC of shielding executive members; now they are doing the same.”
The party has been at the forefront of calls to hold Ramaphosa accountable since news broke of the 2020 burglary on his Phala Phala farm.
However, Cameron explained the delay in responding to Zungula’s request.
“The letter was received on March 3, and we did acknowledge receipt to the ATM,” Cameron said.
“The process was frustratingly delayed by the work of the ad hoc committee, which took a frustratingly long time and, in turn, forced the neglect of other parliamentary work.”
- Parliament’s portfolio committee on police will ask IPID and SAPS to explain how they have followed disciplinary recommendations in the 2023 declassified Phala Phala report.
- The committee meeting will take place after the current constituency period, with the date to be communicated later.
- The report recommends disciplinary action against members of the Presidential Protection Service, including Major-General Wally Rhoode and Constable HH Rekhoto, but no action has been taken.
- IPID found that Rhoode and associates conducted a parallel investigation, bribed suspects to conceal facts, and that Bejani Chauke, President Ramaphosa’s senior advisor, was involved and misused state resources.
- The African Transformation Movement has requested the committee summon IPID over the investigation, but the DA's Ian Cameron cited delays due to other parliamentary work as the reason for not immediately responding.
