Thieves broke into South Africa's president's private farm in 2020 and allegedly stole $580,000 in US dollar bills stuffed into a sofa. Now, President Cyril Ramaphosa has unveiled a raft of new measures to crack down on illegal migration — as he simultaneously faces the possibility of being removed from office over the scandal known as 'Farmgate'.
In a national address, Ramaphosa said employers who hire undocumented workers would be jailed, dedicated courts would speed up deportations and a register with biometric data would be created 'for every person in the country' to stamp out identity theft. The announcements come as tensions rise over anti-foreigner marches, with anti-migrant groups demanding undocumented migrants leave by 30 June.
“President Ramaphosa unveils migration crackdown as MPs set up impeachment committee over $580,000 farm theft scandal”
But Ramaphosa warned South Africans not to take the law into their own hands. 'Only the authorised government officials may act against violations of the law,' he said, adding that 'no other person is allowed, for example, to confront someone in the street to demand proof of nationality.' He cautioned against social media campaigns that spread misinformation and said there was 'no space for xenophobia, racism, sexism, Afrophobia or any other forms of intolerance in South Africa.'
Over the past few weeks, several African nations have been evacuating their nationals amid fears of violence. Last weekend, hundreds of African migrants fled their homes in the Overberg region after reports of door-to-door intimidation and the deaths of two Mozambicans in Mossel Bay. In Durban, foreigners have been camping outside the city's home affairs department, saying they fear for their lives.
Meanwhile, Ramaphosa's political fortunes have taken a fresh blow. The 'Farmgate' scandal first emerged in 2022 when the country's former spy chief, Arthur Fraser, alleged that the president had hidden the theft from police and tax authorities. The stolen cash was in foreign currency, raising questions about exchange control laws, though the reserve bank later found no violations. Parliament set up an independent panel that concluded Ramaphosa 'has a case to answer'. Now, MPs have taken the unprecedented step of forming a committee to recommend whether he should be impeached. Unlike in 2022, Ramaphosa's African National Congress no longer controls a majority in parliament after the 2024 election.
Ramaphosa has always maintained his innocence, saying the money came from the legitimate sale of buffalo from his livestock business. He has revived a legal application to set aside the panel's report, arguing it 'misconceived its mandate'. But with the new committee and a weakened majority, his presidency faces its most serious threat yet.