South African President faces threat of impeachment over ’Farmgate’

The Farmgate scandal erupted in June, when a former South African spy boss, Arthur Fraser, filed a complaint with police accusing the president of hiding a theft of $4m from his Phala Phala farm in the north-east of the country in 2020.

Mr Fraser, who is a close ally of former President Jacob Zuma, alleged that the money could have been the proceeds of money-laundering and corruption, and accused the president of kidnapping and bribing the burglars.

Holding such a large amount of money in dollars could violate foreign exchange control laws.

Mr Ramaphosa has confirmed a robbery, but said the amount stolen was less than that alleged, and denied attempting to cover it up.

Some $580,000 which had been paid in cash for buffalo was stolen from under sofa cushions in the farmhouse, he said.

"I did not 'hunt' for the perpetrators of the theft, as alleged, nor did I give any instructions for this to take place," he wrote in a submission to the panel's report, according to AFP news agency.

The panel concluded that there were many unanswered questions, calling it a "very serious matter".

Little information was kept about the man who supposedly paid the money for buffalo, it said, adding that he had still not collected the animals two and a half years later.

The panel also said it was strange that the money had been kept hidden in a sofa, rather than in a safe until it could be lodged in a bank account.

"We think that the president has a case to answer on the origin of the foreign currency that was stolen, as well as the underlying transaction for it," the report said. It added: "The president abused his position as head of state to have the matter investigated and seeking the assistance of the Namibian president to apprehend a suspect."

Namibian president Hage Geingob has previously denied any involvement in the incident. (BBC)