APA-Johannesburg (South Africa) Opposition Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has vowed to take the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) to court for a judicial review over its decision to exonerate President Cyril Ramaphosa of any wrongdoing during a probe into the alleged coverup of a robbery at his farm three years ago.
During the robbery, it was discovered that thousands of US dollars – proceeds from selling some animals – hidden in sofas were stolen from the president’s farm in Limpopo province.
According to Malema, the SARB found in its private internal report that on the facts available to it there was “no perfected” or completed transaction.
The bank could therefore not conclude that there was any contravention of the foreign exchange control regulations by any entity involved — nor by the president, Malema said.
“We will take the SARB report on Phala Phala dollars to court for judicial review because there is evidently an attempt to cover up the crimes committed in Phala Phala – and state institutions are being abused in protection of the outgoing president of South Africa,” Malema told journalists on Sunday following a meeting of the party’s executive where the issue was apparently discussed.
He said he rejected with contempt of the SARB’s findings, the SARB cover up of the Phala Phala crime and unlawful smuggling of foreign currency.
Malema gave no date as to when the EFF would take the case to court for the judicial review.
NM/jn/APA