Von Wiellgh said he immediately informed the president of the break-in at his farm.
Hendrik von Wiellgh, the Phala Phala farm manager, told the Modimolle Regional Court on Friday that his predecessor, Sylvester Ndlovu, broke the rules when he allowed temporary workers to clean President Cyril Ramaphosa’s house.
Von Wiellgh detailed the events that followed the burglary at the president’s farm in February 2020.
Alleged mastermind Imanuwela David and Froliana Joseph, along with her brother, Ndilinasho David Joseph, are on trial for the crime.
The Namibian nationals face charges of housebreaking, theft and conspiracy to commit housebreaking with intent to steal. David faces an additional charge of money laundering.
The case relates to the theft of $580 000, which had been stashed in a couch at Phala Phala game farm in Bela-Bela on 9 February 2020.
Phala Phala break-in
Von Wiellgh said Ndlovu reported a break-in to him on 10 February 2020.
“I immediately proceeded to the main house, where he reported a break-in. I met him at that place by the main house,” said Von Wiellgh.
“He pointed out to me the window that had been broken open, the ledge of the window. He also pointed out to me that the sliding door is open. It was not locked like it used to be. But then, the inside of that sliding door is the key. So they opened it from the inside to go out. So it was unusual to find a sliding door open.
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“Some of the pillows in the sitting room and stuff were not in their place. There were little tiny cushions on the floor. So, there was clear evidence that there was somebody in the house.”
Von Wiellgh said he instructed Ndlovu to search the house to note if anything had been stolen.
“I could see the big screen TV still there. And I say normally, people at a break-in will steal valuable equipment.
“At that time, I instructed Sylvester because he and the housekeeper, Monica, would know better where everything was in the house. And if there is something missing, they will give me a more accurate report because I don’t clean the house. I don’t stay in the house. I don’t know about all the valuable stuff in the house.”
Ramaphosa notified
Von Wiellgh said he immediately informed the president of the break-in at his farm. The president confirmed to him that the police would conduct an investigation.
“At a later stage, the police arrived. From that point onwards, I was assuming the police would take the case further and do the job, if they could find fingerprints or whatever the next procedure was. I also provided them with the video footage that we got from a CCTV camera,” said Von Wiellgh.
Von Wiellgh said Ndlovu did not inform him about the foreign currency he had stashed in the couch. Even after the break-in, Nldovu allegedly did not inform Von Wiellgh about the foreign currency.
‘He broke the rules’
Von Wiellgh told the court that the Phala Phala farm rules stipulated that only permanent staff members were allowed to enter the president’s house. However, Ndlovu allegedly broke that rule when he allowed Froliana, a suspect in the case, to enter.
“He [Ndlovu] was in charge of all housekeeping duties, and he would inform me if he needed some temporary workers to assist him in those duties.
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“If these temporary workers were to be asked to come and assist, then none of these temporary workers is allowed to clean the president’s house.
“The general rule of thumb, we say, people we do not have a long-term relationship with, we won’t just let them go into the president’s house.
“But I later got to learn that Sylvester also used the temporary workers to work in the president’s house, together with the likes of Monica, who is permanently employed.
“I also got to hear later afterwards that he used some of the temporary workers to clean there on their own, which was not with my approval, but Sylvester does sometimes allow many things that I didn’t approve. But I can’t speak on behalf of Sylvester about when he starts to allow it without my knowledge.”
The police returned to the farm and informed Von Wiellgh that Froliana was one of the suspects.
ALSO READ: Phala Phala trial: Witness details why he hid cash in Ramaphosa’s couch
“They informed us that this lady, Joseph, was involved, and she was the inside information. That’s when I started to learn, and then it’s the time when Sylvester admitted she worked in the main house.”
Phala Phala witnesses
The trial has not been smooth sailing for the state. Two witnesses have already contradicted the statements they gave to the police.
Both witnesses cannot be named.
The first witness was declared hostile on Wednesday after changing his evidence in court.
“As I have indicated before, some of the things, as they happened a long time ago, I recall, but others, I do not recall. I am the one who made the statement, but when I made it, I was scared because different people came who indicated that they were looking for the accused number one.
“When they told me they were going to take a statement, I complied,” said the witness, when asked why he changed his evidence.
The second witness testified that he had never made a statement to the police. He said the police came to him with a statement and told him to sign it.
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