Presidential protection services (PPS) head Maj-Gen Wally Rhoode, who was criticised for running an improper and unofficial investigation into the Phala Phala theft, has been found not guilty by a police disciplinary hearing.
The trial of three accused of the theft of $580,000 (R10m) from President Cyril Ramaphosa's Limpopo game farm in February 2020 is due to resume this week.
In addition to being cleared by the disciplinary committee, Rhoode remains in his job as Ramaphosa’s top bodyguard.
ATM MP Vuyo Zungula made the statement. He had asked the police ministry for an update on the matter in a parliamentary question.
In a brief reply, acting police minister Firoz Cachalia confirmed an internal disciplinary hearing was held in which Rhoode “was found not guilty of any misconduct related to the findings of the public protector that he conducted an illegal investigation”.
In 2023, public protector Kholeka Gcaleka had instructed national police commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola to take action against Rhoode over his handling of the Phala Phala investigation. She also recommended a directive be issued by the commissioner to instruct PPS members on how to manage crimes reported directly to them by VIPs under their protection.
She found Rhoode had acted improperly by investigating the housebreaking without a registered case docket.
Her report stated: “The investigation has revealed on or about February 9 2020, a crime of housebreaking with the intent to steal and theft took place at the president’s house situated at Phala Phala farm, where cash in US dollars was stolen from the cushion of a couch. Evidence reveals Gen Rhoode did not inform his commanding officer about the crime, in line with the SAPS Act, after the president reported it to him on February 10 [the housebreaking] and March 2 2020 [when they realised the cash was gone].
“No case docket was opened and registered on the crime administration system of SAPS to enable an official investigation by the relevant crime detection service. Consequently, the crime was also not captured in the SAPS’ crime statistics report for the financial year 2019/2020.
“Further evidence before the public protector reveals Gen Rhoode assembled his own investigation team and engaged in an unofficial criminal investigation, which included interviewing suspects and witnesses, conducting surveillance, travelling to Cape Town to trace suspects, collecting evidence and compiling a report.
“Though Gen Rhoode contends he was only conducting a preliminary investigation on the security breach to establish if there was a threat to the president’s safety, his contention is not supported by the evidence at hand.”
Instead, Gcaleka said, the investigation focused on the crime of housebreaking and theft rather than the threat to the president’s safety.
The trial, which is scheduled to resume on Monday, was delayed by the pregnancy of Froliana Joseph, a cleaner at the farm, so she could attend to the birth of her second child. She is accused of the break-in and theft with her brother David Joseph and their accomplice Imanuwela David.
The prosecution has stated it intends to call 23 witnesses to testify before the Modimolle regional court.
The theft came to light in June 2022 when the former director-general at the State Security Agency, Arthur Fraser, opened a case of kidnapping and money laundering against Ramaphosa and Rhoode for allegedly concealing the break-in.
Ramaphosa said the cash was paid to his former farm manager Sylvester Ndlovu by Sudanese businessperson Hazim Mustafa on Christmas Day in 2019 as he wanted to purchase a herd of buffalo. The money was kept at the Limpopo farm until it was stolen during the break-in.
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