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Man convicted over theft from Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm
Imanuwela David was convicted of stealing cash from a farm owned by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, reviving scrutiny of a scandal that has threatened to engulf the president in an impeachment process. Ramaphosa has acknowledged the theft but denied wrongdoing.
David was found guilty of theft and conspiring to break into Phala Phala farm in 2020; cleaner Froliana Joseph was convicted of conspiracy, while her brother was acquitted. The cash was reported as $580,000, and David spent some of it on cars, watches and a house. Sentencing preparations are due on 13 November. The affair became public in 2022, and a court later ruled parliament acted unlawfully when it shelved a report examining Ramaphosa’s possible accountability.
In short
- A man was convicted over cash stolen from Ramaphosa’s farm.
- A cleaner was convicted of conspiracy; her brother was acquitted.
- The case has renewed questions over the Farmgate scandal.
Explained simply
Phala Phala is a farm in South Africa owned by President Cyril Ramaphosa. In 2020, cash was stolen from the property; the theft became public two years later and drew attention to how the money had been kept and reported.
The affair raised questions about whether Ramaphosa had properly handled the theft and whether he should face political consequences. He has acknowledged that cash was taken but denied wrongdoing, while a court later found that parliament acted unlawfully when it set aside a report examining his possible accountability.
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Originally published by BBC World as “Man guilty of stealing cash from farm owned by South African president”.