Phala Phala Mystery Deepens as Questions Persist Over Buffalo Buyer Hazim Mustafa and Missing Cash

The long-running Phala Phala scandal involving South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has resurfaced amid renewed scrutiny over Sudanese businessman Hazim Mustafa, the man identified as having paid US$580,000 in cash for buffalo at the president’s Limpopo game farm in 2019. While Mustafa has consistently maintained that the money was legitimate and properly declared, investigators and political critics continue questioning whether the full story behind the controversial transaction has ever been disclosed.

The matter gained fresh traction after reports emerged that the South African Revenue Service (SARS) opened a criminal investigation into Mustafa over allegedly fraudulent foreign-currency declaration documents linked to the Phala Phala cash transaction. According to reports, Mustafa allegedly handed US$580,000 in cash to a farm manager at Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala Farm on Christmas Day in 2019 as payment for 20 buffalo. The money was later stolen during a 2020 burglary that triggered one of the biggest political scandals in post-apartheid South Africa.

The controversy has always centred not only on the theft itself, but on the source, handling, and amount of foreign currency allegedly hidden inside furniture at the farm. In 2024, News24 reported that SARS had opened a criminal case against Mustafa concerning documents he allegedly provided to investigators as proof he had declared the cash when entering South Africa through OR Tambo International Airport. According to the report, SARS could find no official record of the declaration. Mustafa denied wrongdoing and insisted:

“My documents are 100% correct.”

The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) later noted that the buffalo transaction had never been fully completed because Mustafa never took possession of the animals. This has fuelled speculation among critics over whether the buffalo sale explanation fully accounts for the large sums allegedly stored at the property. Investigative reports and leaked transcripts have also suggested that more money may have been stolen than the publicly acknowledged US$580,000. Some suspects linked to the burglary were later found spending millions of rand on luxury vehicles and assets, intensifying suspicions that the amount taken could have been substantially higher.

Although the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry has primarily focused on organised crime, corruption and political interference within law enforcement agencies, evidence emerging before the commission has contributed to broader public debate around elite criminal networks and state accountability in South Africa.

The commission’s interim findings identified prima facie evidence of corruption, criminality and obstruction involving several officials and underworld-linked actors. Analysts say this climate has renewed public scrutiny of unresolved scandals such as Phala Phala. Political commentator Justice Malala said the controversy continues to damage public trust because key questions remain unanswered.

“The issue is no longer simply about buffalo. It is about transparency, accountability and whether political elites are treated differently from ordinary citizens,” he told regional media previously.

Mustafa has repeatedly insisted he was a legitimate buyer who intended to purchase buffalo for resale. However, critics point to inconsistencies in public accounts surrounding the transaction, including uncertainty over why such a large cash payment was made instead of using standard banking channels. Further questions have emerged regarding why the transaction remained incomplete years later.

The controversy has also drawn comparisons to recent scrutiny involving Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo, where allegations involving large cash movements, political proximity and opaque financial dealings have similarly dominated public discourse. However, no court has found either Ramaphosa or Mustafa guilty of criminal wrongdoing relating to the buffalo transaction. Ramaphosa has consistently denied wrongdoing and has maintained that the money came from a legitimate game sale. The Hawks' investigation, SARS probe, and other related inquiries remain ongoing.

Phala Phala scandal