While President Cyril Ramaphosa had the country locked down in June 2020, leaving millions unable to earn a living, he was using taxpayer money to pursue the thieves who stole US dollars from his Limpopo game farm. 

This is according to Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen, who has called on the president to end his silence on the matter.

Ramaphosa came under fire after former spy boss Arthur Fraser laid a criminal complaint against him following the break-in at his farm on 9 February 2020.

In his affidavit submitted in June, Fraser claimed that Ramaphosa conspired with the head of Presidential Protection Unit, Major-General Wally Rhoode, to track down the men behind the robbery instead of reporting the matter to the police.

Fraser named Imanuwela David, Errki Shikongo, Petrus Muhekeni, Urbanus Shaumbwako and Petrus Afrikaner as the perpetrators of the heist.

Fraser claimed that the men conspired with the domestic worker to steal the money which was hidden in a couch.

The men were found in Namibia and allegedly tortured, along with the domestic worker, who reportedly conspired with the men to arrange the burglary.

Steenhuisen referred to a Namibian Police (Nampol) statement, which confirmed a meeting with the SAPS in June 2020.

"Clearly, President Ramaphosa has something to hide. He needs to stop hiding behind the false cover of a 'pending investigation' and explain to the nation why he failed to report this massive theft and why he used state resources to try to retrieve his dirty dollars.

"President Ramaphosa is not just dragging his own name through the mud. This scandal is incredibly damaging to South Africa’s image abroad," he said.

According to Nampol, David illegally entered Namibia through an ungazetted entry point near Noordoewer in the Karas region by canoe via the Orange River.

He was then assisted by a police officer identified as Sergeant Hendrick Hidipo Nghede from the Tourism Protection sub-division in Luderitz and Paulus Alfeus Ngalangi, the acting CEO of FishCor in Luderitz to get to Windhoek.

Inspector General Sebastian Ndeitunga said, "The trio drove to Windhoek in the acting CEO’s BMW X5 and arrived after midnight."

He said David was arrested at a hotel in Windhoek on charges of violating the Immigration Control Act and the State of Emergency Regulation that were in place at the time.

Ndeitunga said he was found in possession of N$300, eleven 100 US dollar notes, a TAG Hauer watch worth N$28 000, a Rolex watch worth N$280 000, a gold chain worth N$163 000, and four cellphones.

David pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a fine of N$5 000 or 12 months imprisonment for violating the Immigration Control Act.

He was further fined N$15 000 or 24 months imprisonment under the Customs and Excise Act for failure to declare goods.

Ndeitunga said David paid a fine of N$20 000 and was released.

Steenhuisen also said voters should not protect Ramaphosa out of fear of even worse African National Congress (ANC) leaders waiting in the wings.

"The ANC is dying anyway. Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala scandal is damaging the South African economy and our prospects for creating jobs for the unemployed youth he professes to care about. His Presidency has been characterised as one of consistently putting party before country,” he said.

Ramaphosa has repeatedly said that he will not comment on the matter until due process is completed.