How $580,000 hidden under a sofa cushion became a constitutional crisis in South Africa | Fortune

A theft at Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala ranch in February 2020 involved about $580,000 in U.S. banknotes reportedly taken from a sofa. The cash was allegedly stashed under sofa cushions in a spare bedroom after a staff member placed it there due to concerns about other workers accessing a safe. The scandal became public in 2022 when a former head of South Africa’s state security agency reported the theft to police and accused Ramaphosa of money laundering and other offenses. Ramaphosa acknowledged the theft but denied wrongdoing, saying he reported it to his police protection unit and that the money came from legitimate buffalo sales. A parliamentary panel found initial evidence of serious misconduct, including unclear money source and improper reporting, and impeachment proceedings were later revived.

"The theft at Ramaphosa's Phala Phala ranch happened in February 2020, a year after Ramaphosa won an election, but wasn't publicly known. After the revelations, Ramaphosa acknowledged that the theft happened, but denied wrongdoing, saying he reported it at the time to the head of his police protection unit. Ramaphosa said that the $580,000 in U.S. banknotes that was taken from the couch was from the legitimate sale of buffaloes at his ranch."

"He said the money was put under the cushions of a sofa in a spare bedroom in his private residence at the farm by a staff member who was concerned that other workers had access to a safe. Ramaphosa was a wealthy businessman before becoming president and is known for his love of livestock and game breeding."

"An independent panel appointed by Parliament investigated and issued a report saying there was initial evidence of serious misconduct by Ramaphosa, including that the theft wasn't properly reported, the source of the money was unclear and the amount might have been much more than Ramaphosa claimed. Ramaphosa also allegedly drew on his contacts with the then president of neighboring Namibia to help discreetly t"

Read at Fortune