The Independent Police Investigative Directorate has recommended disciplinary action against a senior protector of Cyril Ramaphosa following the declassification of its report into the 2020 Phala Phala farm burglary.
The report focuses on the conduct of members of the Presidential Protection Service Unit, particularly its head, Wally Rhoode, in relation to efforts to recover stolen foreign currency.
The burglary, which involved the theft of 580 000 US dollars, was only officially reported to police two years later after it was made public by Arthur Fraser.
Off The Books Operation Under Scrutiny
According to the report, Rhoode allegedly led an unofficial operation in 2020 aimed at recovering the stolen money. This included interviewing suspects at the Limpopo farm, pursuing leads in Cape Town and travelling to Namibia.
Investigators found that state resources were used during the operation, while the purpose of these activities was reportedly misrepresented in official records as work related to the president.
Despite these findings, Rhoode was later cleared of wrongdoing following an internal disciplinary process, as confirmed by former acting police minister Firoz Cachalia in 2025.
Political Pressure Mounts
The report was declassified following a PAIA application by ActionSA and the African Transformation Movement, after it had initially been kept confidential by Police Minister Senzo Mchunu.
ActionSA has since called for disciplinary action against those implicated, including Rhoode, Constable Hulani Rekhoto and presidential advisor Bejani Chauke, who were allegedly involved in the operation.
Calls For Accountability
ActionSA national chairperson Michael Beaumont said the party would push for a parliamentary inquiry into the matter, citing concerns over the failure to act on the report’s recommendations and the alleged misuse of state resources.
The report also noted that Rhoode declined to cooperate with IPID investigators, raising further questions about accountability despite his eventual clearance.
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