ActionSA has launched a formal bid to access the Independent Police Investigative Directorate’s (IPID) report on the controversial Phala Phala farm theft, a move aimed at piercing what the party calls a “deliberate cover-up” of a politically explosive incident involving President Cyril Ramaphosa.
The party, led by Herman Mashaba, has submitted a Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) application to obtain the report, which has been classified as “Top Secret” by Police Minister Senzo Mchunu. ActionSA is now accusing Mchunu of abusing national security protocols to shield the contents of the report from public scrutiny.
“This classification flies in the face of the Minimum Information Security Standards (MISS) and has nothing to do with national safety — it’s about hiding political embarrassment,” said Mashaba. He added that if the request is denied, ActionSA will escalate the matter to the High Court.
The Scandal That Won’t Go Away
The Phala Phala scandal dates back to 2020, when $580,000 in foreign currency — allegedly concealed in furniture at Ramaphosa’s Limpopo game farm — was reportedly stolen. The incident was not immediately reported to the authorities, and allegations of a coordinated cover-up involving high-level police officials have shadowed Ramaphosa’s administration ever since.
Opposition parties have seized on the controversy as symbolic of deeper accountability failures within the Government of National Unity (GNU). The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have also demanded the report’s release, calling the continued secrecy a “deliberate obstruction of justice.”
A Test Case for Government Transparency
Legal and political analysts warn that how the courts respond to ActionSA’s challenge could set a national precedent on how secrecy laws are applied, especially when politically sensitive investigations intersect with the public’s right to know.
Despite mounting pressure, Minister Mchunu has not yet responded to the PAIA challenge. Meanwhile, ActionSA’s legal move is ramping up the heat on Ramaphosa’s already embattled presidency, adding fuel to public questions about the source of the foreign cash, the role of law enforcement, and the timeline of events following the robbery.
As the legal process unfolds, this case may determine whether political convenience can continue to override constitutional commitments to transparency and accountability.
