Geingob, Chauke meeting was for ‘security’
Ramaphosa’s envoy breaks silence on Namibian visit
The acting public protector has cleared Ramaphosa, but concluded that the head of the Presidential Protection Service, who met President Hage Geingob in 2022, has questions to answer.
Bejani Chauke, the man who met President Hage Geingob at the height of the Phala Phala manhunt in 2020, says he met the Namibian leader at State House over an unspecified national security matter.
His version became public for the first time after a report into the saga was released on Friday by South Africa’s acting public protector Kholeka Gcaleka – which cleared President Cyril Ramaphosa of any wrongdoing.
Former South African spy boss Arthur Fraser, who lifted the lid on the Phala Phala saga, alleged that Chauke’s secret trip to Namibia from 25 to 26 June 2020, in the company of Ramaphosa’s head of security, Major General Wally Rhoode, was in pursuit of money – believed to be in the region of N$13 million – that was stolen at Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm earlier that year.
Between borders
The two men were picked up by a Namibian police helicopter from 'no man’s land' between the immigration points of both countries at Namibia’s southern border.
Chauke alleged this was because there were no commercial flights between the two countries at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic and the ensuing lockdowns.
In his affidavits, Fraser alleged that Geingob was roped in to help apprehend Immanuel David, dubbed the Phala Phala theft kingpin, who had fled to Namibia. Soon after that meeting, David was arrested in Windhoek, where he was extensively interrogated about the theft.
Although Namibian authorities claim David was only arrested for entering Namibia illegally, therefore violating immigration laws, an explosive police intelligence report by then head of criminal investigations Nelius Becker claimed he was interrogated about the Phala Phala theft.
Details withheld
Sharing his account of what transpired, Chauke said he had been instructed to meet Geingob over "a national security matter" in which Namibia was affected. He did not disclose the specific details of the discussion.
"With regard to the trip to Namibia, Mr Chauke stated that on or about 24 June 2020, the Presidency furnished him with a letter addressed to President Geingob and instructed him to travel to Namibia as [Ramaphosa’s] envoy to meet with President Geingob," public protector Kholeka Gcaleka’s report reads.
In the report, Chauke claims he was not in Namibia to discuss the Phala Phala matter.
"Mr Chauke further reiterated that the sole purpose of his trip to Namibia was to meet with President Geingob with regard to the above matter. According to him, this was unrelated to any matter arising from the theft at Phala Phala farm, which had occurred some four and a half months earlier."
Pandemic blamed
The fact that Chauke and Rhoode were airlifted from no man’s land in a Namibian police chopper has caused much controversy in Namibia – but Chauke blamed it on Covid-19 lockdowns.
"[Mr Chauke] stated that the use of no man’s land was as a result of the fact that the land borders at that stage were unstaffed due to the restrictions in place," the report noted.
Chauke claimed he was not aware why a trip was planned to Namibia and acted under the instructions of Rhoode.
"Mr Chauke stated that he did not arrange any of the logistics for the trip to Namibia and does not have personal knowledge thereof, and that he was informed by Gen. Rhoode that he would be accompanying him, which seemed appropriate under the circumstances.”
Gcaleka has cleared Ramaphosa of wrongdoing in the complaint against him over the handling of the housebreaking and theft at Phala Phala farm in Limpopo.
She said many of the allegations made against Ramaphosa were unsubstantiated.
Although the public protector has cleared Ramaphosa, she concluded that Rhoode was not authorised to conduct an investigation into the burglary on the farm and thus has many questions to answer.
His version became public for the first time after a report into the saga was released on Friday by South Africa’s acting public protector Kholeka Gcaleka – which cleared President Cyril Ramaphosa of any wrongdoing.
Former South African spy boss Arthur Fraser, who lifted the lid on the Phala Phala saga, alleged that Chauke’s secret trip to Namibia from 25 to 26 June 2020, in the company of Ramaphosa’s head of security, Major General Wally Rhoode, was in pursuit of money – believed to be in the region of N$13 million – that was stolen at Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm earlier that year.
Between borders
The two men were picked up by a Namibian police helicopter from 'no man’s land' between the immigration points of both countries at Namibia’s southern border.
Chauke alleged this was because there were no commercial flights between the two countries at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic and the ensuing lockdowns.
In his affidavits, Fraser alleged that Geingob was roped in to help apprehend Immanuel David, dubbed the Phala Phala theft kingpin, who had fled to Namibia. Soon after that meeting, David was arrested in Windhoek, where he was extensively interrogated about the theft.
Although Namibian authorities claim David was only arrested for entering Namibia illegally, therefore violating immigration laws, an explosive police intelligence report by then head of criminal investigations Nelius Becker claimed he was interrogated about the Phala Phala theft.
Details withheld
Sharing his account of what transpired, Chauke said he had been instructed to meet Geingob over "a national security matter" in which Namibia was affected. He did not disclose the specific details of the discussion.
"With regard to the trip to Namibia, Mr Chauke stated that on or about 24 June 2020, the Presidency furnished him with a letter addressed to President Geingob and instructed him to travel to Namibia as [Ramaphosa’s] envoy to meet with President Geingob," public protector Kholeka Gcaleka’s report reads.
In the report, Chauke claims he was not in Namibia to discuss the Phala Phala matter.
"Mr Chauke further reiterated that the sole purpose of his trip to Namibia was to meet with President Geingob with regard to the above matter. According to him, this was unrelated to any matter arising from the theft at Phala Phala farm, which had occurred some four and a half months earlier."
Pandemic blamed
The fact that Chauke and Rhoode were airlifted from no man’s land in a Namibian police chopper has caused much controversy in Namibia – but Chauke blamed it on Covid-19 lockdowns.
"[Mr Chauke] stated that the use of no man’s land was as a result of the fact that the land borders at that stage were unstaffed due to the restrictions in place," the report noted.
Chauke claimed he was not aware why a trip was planned to Namibia and acted under the instructions of Rhoode.
"Mr Chauke stated that he did not arrange any of the logistics for the trip to Namibia and does not have personal knowledge thereof, and that he was informed by Gen. Rhoode that he would be accompanying him, which seemed appropriate under the circumstances.”
Gcaleka has cleared Ramaphosa of wrongdoing in the complaint against him over the handling of the housebreaking and theft at Phala Phala farm in Limpopo.
She said many of the allegations made against Ramaphosa were unsubstantiated.
Although the public protector has cleared Ramaphosa, she concluded that Rhoode was not authorised to conduct an investigation into the burglary on the farm and thus has many questions to answer.
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article