Businessman named in Farmgate scandal willing to testify over buffalo deal with President Ramaphosa
The Sudanese businessman embroiled in the Farmgate scandal is currently cooperating with the South African authorities – and would be willing to testify in any legal proceedings.
Hazim Mustafa said he would testify to shed light on his $580,000 cash purchase of 20 buffalos from President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala game farm in December 2019.
On Tuesday, South Africa’s parliament will vote on whether to launch impeachment proceedings against Mr Ramaphosa in the wake of the Farmgate scandal.
in an exclusive interview with Sky News, Mr Mustafa said from his home in Dubai: “Anything to help justice and to show the truth. I have nothing to hide.”
Scanned customs documents mark his arrival in Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International airport and declaration of $600,000 in cash on 23 December 2019.
He said the original documents are with the South African police and asked us not to film or photograph the copies that were stapled to an affidavit.
In an independent inquiry launched by the parliament in August, Mr Ramaphosa identified Hazim Mustafa as the source of more than half a million dollars in cash stolen from the couch pillows of his farm in February 2020.
The theft and stash of cash did not come to light until June when corruption and money laundering charges were filed by the president’s political rival and former spy chief, Arthur Fraser, who claimed an undeclared theft of $4m from the farm.
Though Mr Mustafa is cooperating, he is still baffled by the uproar and allegations of corruption.
He said: “When we hear there is a money laundering scandal, we are hearing big numbers like $500m.
“It is huge amounts to be cleaned or washed and not usually the big names involved.”
Mr Mustafa said he brought in the money with the intention to buy a house – but, failing that, turned his sights to buffalo breeding.
“It is a premium meat because it is free of cholesterol and the milk of buffalo is high in protein content,” said Mr Mustafa.
“I found people there who work in safaris and was asking where I can buy good buffalo and Ankole cattle – and then they said the best and the largest one is Phala Phala.”
South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa
President Ramaphosa is known for his buffalo and Ankole cattle breeding, but Mr Mustafa still insists he wasn’t aware the buffalo or the farm belonged to the president until it made headlines.
“When I heard the news, it was the first time I knew he was the owner,” he said.
“Because if you saw the [company] structure, it belongs to a trust and that, I think, belongs to his family.”
The registered owner of Phala Phala farm is the Tshivhase Trust – a family trust.
It is a violation of South African law for the sitting president to be engaged in private business.
The entrance to Mr Ramaphosa’s farm. Pic: AP
In a written statement to the inquiry panel, Mr Ramaphosa clarifies that he has invested his family’s money in the farm but operates largely at a loss.
“To suggest that I undertake paid work on or through the farm is mistaken. I plainly do not,” he wrote.
Read more: Ramaphosa will not resign over scandal
This is the first real challenge to President Ramaphosa’s leadership – so close to the African National Congress’ leadership election conference, due to start this weekend.
“There are still active investigations on the matter, therefore it will not be helpful to be part of a public debate about any detail until those investigations are concluded,” President Ramaphosa’s spokesman Vincent Magwenya told Sky News, when approached for comment on Mr Mustafa’s interview.
A sex scandal has rocked Thailand’s Buddhist clergy after a woman allegedly enticed a string of monks into having sex with her and then blackmailed them.
At least nine abbots and senior monks have been disrobed and cast out of the monkhood, the Royal Thai Police Central Investigation Bureau said.
Wilawan Emsawat, in her mid-30s, is accused of enticing senior monks into having sex with her and then pressuring them into making large payments to cover it up.
Thai monks are largely members of the Theravada sect, which requires them to be celibate and refrain from even touching a woman.
Several monks transferred large amounts of money after Wilawan initiated romantic relationships with them, police said -her bank accounts received around 385 million baht (£8.8m) in the past three years, with most of that spent on gambling websites.
Wilawan was arrested at her home in Nonthaburi province, north of the capital Bangkok, on charges including extortion, money laundering and receiving stolen goods.
Thai media reported a search of her mobile phones revealed tens of thousands of photos and videos, as well as numerous chat logs indicating intimacy with several monks, many of which could be used for blackmail.
Thailand’s Central Investigation Bureau holding a press conference in Bangkok. Pic: Central Investigation Bureau/AP
An investigation was launched last month after an abbot of a famous temple in Bangkok abruptly left the monkhood.
He had allegedly been blackmailed by Wilawan over their romantic relationship, investigators found.
She told the monk she was pregnant and asked him to pay her 7.2 million baht (£165,000), Jaroonkiat Pankaew, a Central Investigation Bureau deputy commissioner, said at a news conference in Bangkok on Tuesday.
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Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai ordered authorities to review and consider tightening existing laws related to monks and temples, especially the transparency of temple finances, to restore faith in Buddhism, government spokesperson Jirayu Houngsub said on Tuesday.
The Central Investigation Bureau has set up a Facebook page for people to report monks who misbehave, Mr Jaroonkiat said.
“We will investigate monks across the country,” he said. “I believe that the ripple effects of this investigation will lead to a lot of changes.”
World
Tomorrowland: ‘Devastating’ blaze destroys main stage at major festival – two days before it was due to begin
A huge fire has destroyed the main stage of a major festival in Belgium – two days before it was due to begin.
Tomorrowland is a dance music event as big as Glastonbury – and David Guetta was due to perform.
Footage showed flames and thick plumes of black smoke engulfing the stage and spreading to nearby woodland on Wednesday.
The fire gutted the main stage
Fire crews attempt to bring the blaze under control
The annual festival in the town of Boom, north of Brussels, is one of the biggest in Europe and attracts about 400,000 people over two consecutive weekends.
It is famous for its immersive and elaborate designs and attracts big names within dance music – including Guetta, best known for tracks When Love Takes Over and Titanium.
Dutch DJs Martin Garrix and Charlotte de Witte were also due to perform, along with the likes of Swedish House Mafia, Eric Prydz and Alok.
Black smoke could be seen rising into the sky
The festival’s website described the creative elements which went into the elaborate main stage.
The theme, described as Orbyz, was “set in a magical universe made entirely out of ice” and “full of mythical creatures”.
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Organisers said no one was injured in the blaze but confirmed “our beloved main stage has been severely damaged”, adding they were “devastated”.
Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen added: “We received some truly terrible news today. A fire broke out on the Tomorrowland site … and our main stage was essentially destroyed there, which is truly awful.
“That’s a stage that took years to build, with so much love and passion. So I think a lot of people are devastated.”
Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen told reporters ‘a lot of people are devastated’
Despite the fire, Tomorrowland organisers said they were still expecting 38,000 festivalgoers at DreamVille, the event’s campsite.
Israel has shown little respect for international borders since becoming the unrivalled military hegemon of the Middle East. Today that meant an Israeli airstrike on a government building in Damascus.
Israel says its attack on a Syrian defence ministry facility was intended as a warning to the new government: stay out of the part of southern Syria we have occupied or else.
Israel has moved into parts of the south of the country, built military bases and declared a line of control.
Smoke rises from an Israeli airstrike that hit the Syrian Defence Ministry in Damascus. Pic: AP
On Monday, Syrian tanks heading south to try and restore order following an outbreak of factional fighting were attacked by Israeli warplanes.
“The presence of such vehicles in southern Syria could pose a threat to Israel,” stated the Israel Defence Forces.
In reality, Syria’s ageing tanks pose minimal threat to Israel’s state-of-the art military.
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Syrian presenter interrupted by Israeli airstrike
The Syrian armour was attacked as it entered the area around Sweida in the Druze heartland of southern Syria following factional fighting there.
The flare-up reportedly began with clashes between Bedouin and Druze groups that ended in scores killed.
The background to the escalation is complicated.
At least three Druze militia groups are divided in their loyalties to different religious leaders and differ over how they should respond to calls to assimilate into the new post-revolutionary Syria.
Druze from Syria and Israel protest on the Israeli-Syrian border.
Pic: AP
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Israel is becoming more and more involved in Syria’s internecine war and says it will remain there indefinitely “to protect our communities and thwart any threat”.
Its critics say Israel is operating a policy of divide and rule in Syria, weakening the fledgling government and creating a buffer zone to protect the border with the Golan Heights – originally Syrian territory that it has occupied and annexed for almost half a century.
Since the fall of the Assad regime, Israel has used airstrikes to destroy of much of Syria’s military capability weakening its ability to impose control on outlying regions. This makes it more not less likely Israel will have a volatile unstable state on its northern border.
Syrian security forces walk along a street in the southern Druze city of Sweida. Pic: Reuters
America and European powers have chosen to normalise relations with the new government in Damascus and lift sanctions.
In contrast Israel has occupied its territory, bombed its military and today hit one of its government buildings in the capital with an airstrike.
Since its crushing military campaigns against Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran, Israel has emerged as the unchallenged military power of the region.
There is however a limit to what blunt force can achieve alone. It requires diplomacy to achieve lasting gains and Israel’s repeated assaults on multiple neighbours combined with its relentless campaign in Gaza are winning it few friends in the region.
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