Deputy Police Minister Cassel Mathale has failed to explain to Parliament why the head of the Presidential Protection Service, Wally Rhoode, was cleared of wrongdoing over his handling of the burglary at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm.
The matter resurfaced in Parliament on Wednesday after Members of Parliament questioned how Rhoode and Sergeant Hlulani Rhekhoto escaped disciplinary action despite recommendations from both the Public Protector and the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID).
According to findings by the two investigative bodies, the officers allegedly breached police regulations when they pursued the recovery of United States dollars stolen during the 2020 break-in at the president’s Limpopo farm.
Parliament Presses Police Leadership Over Phala Phala Findings
The issue follows earlier scrutiny by MPs during a parliamentary committee meeting two weeks ago, where police officials were also asked to account for the outcome of the disciplinary process involving the two officers.
During Wednesday’s session, ActionSA MP Lerato Ngobeni again sought answers from Mathale on the not-guilty findings.
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“The process of the disciplinary of the two officers were held in line with the disciplinary code that the South African police use, and there was no favouritism in this regard,” Mathale told MPs.
The Times Post understands that MPs continued pressing for clarity on how the disciplinary process reached conclusions that differed from the recommendations made by oversight bodies.
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Democratic Alliance MP Lisa Schickerling said the outcome gave the impression that IPID’s findings had not been taken seriously by police authorities.
Mathale, however, rejected suggestions that Rhoode’s senior role within the Presidential Protection Unit had influenced the outcome.
“It is not because they belong to the Presidential Protection Unit. It is because of the dual processes that were followed that arrived at that determination,” he said.
Mathale also did not respond to Ngobeni’s request for the disciplinary hearing record to be handed over to Parliament.
