President Cyril Ramaphosa’s integrity may be in jeopardy with news that US dollars were hidden, then stolen during the theft at his Phala Phala farm that was not declared to the South African Revenue Service (Sars) when it was brought to South Africa. SA tax authorities yesterday announced that they could not find any records that Hazim Mustafa, the Sudanese businessman accused of paying US money (R10 million) to Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm, had declared the money he brought into the country in December 2019. Also read: Ramaphosa’s visit to Phala Phala is a ‘well calculated tactical move’ This…
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s integrity may be in jeopardy with news that US dollars were hidden, then stolen during the theft at his Phala Phala farm that was not declared to the South African Revenue Service (Sars) when it was brought to South Africa.
The SA tax authorities announced yesterday that they could not find records that Hazim Mustafa, the Sudanese businessman accused of paying US money (R10 million) to Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm, had declared the money he brought into the country in December 2019.
Also read: Ramaphosa’s visit to Phala Phala a ‘well calculated tactical move’
This is according to the leader of the Democratic Alliance (DA) John Steenhuisen, who obtained the information directly from Sars, following a request submitted under the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) in December 2022.
Steenhuisen asked for a copy of the declaration form after Mustafa apparently submitted the document and the tax service stated that, after taking unfair steps to find the record, it concluded that the record did not exist, or could not be found.
There is no record of Sars
This was followed by an affidavit from Sars company legal specialist Siyabonga Nkabinde in the legal services department.
READ ALSO: Phala Phala: Sars insists that Ramaphosa’s stolen dollars were not declared
In his affidavit, Nkabinde asserted that: “On or about January 17, 2023, I began my involvement with various business units within Sars that I believe may be held and/or have and/or have knowledge of the requested records.
“[I] We are advised that according to a search for records in the various Sars passenger processing systems, the records cannot be found and/or do not exist.
Does Ramaphosa know?
Stellenbosch University Public Leadership Professor Zwelinzima Ndevu said that while Ramaphosa as the seller may not have control over whether the buyer declares or not (if they come from outside SA), the bigger question is whether Ramaphosa knows that the buyer declared the money. or not?
Ndevu said another issue was whether Ramaphosa had disclosed the transaction to Sars or the South African Reserve Bank because it was foreign currency.
“If the buyer does not disclose and the seller, who is the president, does not disclose as well, then he will be an accomplice to the crime he committed.”
Ndevu said that there is only information that the buyer has not disclosed, but this is worrying because it shows the character of the person the president is dealing with.
Also read: EFF, DA welcome ConCourt decision on Ramaphosa’s bid to challenge Phala Phala report
“It may be a challenge that the president will do business with people who are suspected of being criminals or people who use money from unknown processes, because if you don’t disclose, it may be the money that you get,” he said. said.
“It will damage his reputation and ultimately his position if he finds out that this person has not disclosed and continues to do business with him. We don’t know if he knows,” he said.
tax avoidance
Economic Freedom Fighters spokeswoman Leigh-Ann Mathys said the Sars revelations were dangerous and “rejected the lies” of Mustafa.
“This means that Ramaphosa, the president of South Africa, is actively aiding and abetting tax evasion. This confirms the findings of the Section 89 Independent Panel, which found that Ramaphosa may have breached the SA constitution and the Executive Members’ Ethics Act,” he said.
READ ALSO: ConCourt ruling on Phala Phala report ‘not a blow’ to Ramaphosa – The Presidency
Last week, the Constitutional Court rejected Ramaphosa’s application for direct access to challenge the report’s findings.
– lungas@citizen.co.za