A fresh chapter in the Phala Phala saga is raising serious questions about the rule of law—and whether it was followed at the highest levels of policing. A newly released report by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate has found that members of the Presidential Protection Service conducted what it describes as an unlawful, off-the-books investigation into the 2020 burglary at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm. According to the report, no formal criminal case was
ever opened, despite the theft of large sums of foreign currency. Instead, officers allegedly used state
resources to track suspects across provinces and even beyond South Africa’s borders—without proper
authorisation or legal process. The findings raise troubling questions about how such a significant case could bypass standard procedures. And while the report details alleged misconduct by
senior officers, it stops short of answering one of the biggest questions: what did the President know?
As political and legal pressure mounts, tonight we unpack what this report reveals—and what it could
mean for accountability within law enforcement and the presidency.