“I Was Right All Along” — NDZ Speaks Out on Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala Dollar Scandal

Former African National Congress (ANC) heavyweight Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has reportedly reaffirmed her decision to support further scrutiny of President Cyril Ramaphosa over the Phala Phala farm scandal, maintaining that she has no regrets about going against her party’s leadership in 2022.

Her decision placed her at odds with the ANC during a politically sensitive period, when Parliament considered whether to adopt an independent panel’s report examining allegations surrounding the theft of foreign currency from Ramaphosa’s farm.

While the ANC leadership opposed the adoption of the report, Dlamini-Zuma supported allowing the matter to proceed for further consideration, believing that the allegations deserved closer examination.

The controversy dates back to February 2020, when foreign currency was reportedly stolen during a burglary at Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala game farm in Limpopo. The incident became public in 2022, raising questions about the source of the money, the circumstances surrounding the theft and the handling of the matter.

An independent panel chaired by retired Chief Justice Sandile Ngcobo subsequently examined whether the allegations warranted further parliamentary action.

The panel’s report concluded that there was a prima facie basis for Parliament to consider whether Ramaphosa might have committed serious misconduct or violated the Constitution. However, these were preliminary findings and did not establish that the president was guilty of wrongdoing.

When the report was debated in Parliament in December 2022, the ANC used its majority to oppose its adoption. Dlamini-Zuma was among the minority of MPs who supported allowing the process to continue.

Her position attracted attention because ANC members faced the possibility of disciplinary action for voting against the party’s position. Nevertheless, she stood by her decision, highlighting the tension between party loyalty and the responsibility of elected representatives to exercise independent judgment.

Constitutional Court Ruling Brings Renewed Attention to the Scandal

The Phala Phala controversy returned to the spotlight in May 2026 when the Constitutional Court overturned Parliament’s 2022 decision to block further consideration of the independent panel’s report.

The court directed that the report be referred to an impeachment committee for further examination, reopening a parliamentary process that had been halted more than three years earlier.

The ruling does not mean that Ramaphosa has been found guilty of misconduct. Instead, it allows the allegations and the panel’s preliminary findings to undergo further scrutiny through the appropriate parliamentary procedures.

The president has also indicated that he intends to challenge the independent panel’s report through a legal review, adding another dimension to the ongoing dispute.

Dlamini-Zuma’s stance has renewed discussion about her decision to oppose the ANC leadership’s position and the importance of parliamentary accountability when allegations involve the country’s highest political office.

Her position reflects the argument that politically sensitive allegations should be examined through established legal and parliamentary processes rather than dismissed solely because of internal party decisions.

As the Phala Phala matter continues to unfold, the dispute remains a significant test of the relationship between party discipline, parliamentary independence and accountability in South Africa’s political system.

https://x.com/centralnewsza/status/2109329902251991347

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