Put the alleged crime aside, the optics aren't great for Ramaphosa - analyst

Former spy boss Arthur Fraser, who’s also the man who freed former President Jacob Zuma on medical parole when he was Correctional Services head, this week laid a criminal complaint against President Cyril Ramaphosa. Fraser claims he has the evidence to prove that Ramaphosa concealed the February 2020 theft of +-$4m (R62m) in cash by criminals working in concert with his domestic helper at his farm in Limpopo. The charges Fraser wants investigated are vast and serious. They include defeating the ends of justice, kidnapping of suspects, their interrogation on Ramaphosa’s property, and bribery. The Presidency has confirmed the robbery saying the proceeds came from “the sale of game” but wouldn’t confirm the amount stolen, only saying Fraser's suggested amount is "hugely inflated". The President’s spokesperson Vincent Magwenya says Ramaphosa stands ready to cooperate with any law enforcement investigation. BizNews editor Michael Appel speaks to analyst at the Institute for Global Dialogue, Sanusha Naidu, about Fraser’s possible motives for laying these charges against Ramaphosa now, as well as the optics surrounding this saga. The move comes just six months before Ramaphosa seeks re-election at the ANC’s elective conference in December. Critically, the State Capture Inquiry will also soon be releasing its final report into, among other workstreams, the State Security Agency that Fraser presided over under a cloud of corruption. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices