Phala Phala scandal and preparations for ANC conference expected to dominate this weekend’s NEC meeting

The African National Congress’ (ANC) national executive committee (NEC) is set to meet in person this weekend for the first time in two years.

ANC NEC members gather in Nasrec

The regular session of the NEC – the governing party’s highest decision-making body in between conferences – will take place from Friday until Sunday at the Nasrec Expo Centre, in the south of Johannesburg, where the ANC will hold its 55th national elective conference next month.

The meeting is expected to receive a number of organisational reports, including the ANC’s integrity commission’s report on the Phala Phala scandal, as well as feedback on preparations ahead of the elective congress.

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President Cyril Ramaphosa last month appeared before the integrity commission to furnish it with more information on what transpired when a burglary took place in 2020 at his Phala Phala game farm in Limpopo.

In June, former spy boss Arthur Fraser lodged a criminal complaint against Ramaphosa of money laundering, kidnapping and corruption alleging that burglars stole millions of US dollars in cash at the farm, working in cahoots with his domestic worker.

Ramaphosa is currently the subject of five investigations by state institutions, including the Office of the Public Protector and Parliament, into impropriety linked to dealings at his farm. The president has denied any wrongdoing.

Phala Phala report

Speaking to The Citizen, political analyst Professor Lesiba Teffo said the integrity commission has proven to be a toothless structure of the ANC in holding party members accountable.

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It is for this reason that he believes the commission was unlikely to make any adverse findings against Ramaphosa. However, Teffo said some of the state institutions probing the Phala Phala matter might find the president wanting.

“He may not be found wanting in all of them, but on two or three of the reports, I don’t think he is going to find it easy to wattle his way out of this.

“The amount of foreign currency that one can keep on their own person without disclosing it to the state or the South African Revenue Service… It does look like it was no small burglary and the fact that it was not reported to police, it’s a matter of great concern,” Teffo said.

With Ramaphosa avoiding publicly answering questions on the burglary, Teffo said his conduct has raised suspicions of possible wrongdoing.  

“It begins to look as if there is more involved than what meets the eye. To that extent, he won’t be acquitted by all state organs. One way or another, he is going to be found wanting,” he said.

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Ramaphosa’s detractors within the ANC were also likely to “bay for his blood” once state institutions conclude their investigations into the Phala Phala burglary, Teffo added.

“I submit with all humility that the ANC will be in all sorts of trouble should Ramaphosa be found guilty.

“Based on the ANC’s ‘Eye of the Needle’ document which advocates moral temperance, Ramaphosa would have long stepped aside or resigned.”

Apart from the Phala Phala report, Teffo said the NEC was expected to be dominated by preparations for the upcoming national conference.

“The state of readiness in terms of logistics, the branch general meetings, the disputes and processes of addressing them and many other reports will be looked at,” he said.

ANC organisational reports

The NEC meeting will also finalise the political report to be delivered by Ramaphosa at the congress, the organisational report to be delivered by Deputy President David Mabuza and the treasurer’s report that will be delivered by ANC treasurer-general Paul Mashatile.

The ANC conference is scheduled for 15 to 20 December. It is expected to have 4200 voting delegates and up to 6000 invited guests.

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