'I declared the cash when I landed in South Africa': Sudanese mogul on Phala Phala money

“I have nothing to hide,” says a Sudanese businessman who has been implicated in the Phala Phala farmgate scandal.

Hazim Mustafa was speaking to Sky News from Dubai where he is based.

He said he was co-operating with South African authorities and was willing to testify in any legal proceedings.

The broadcaster sought to clarify key issues surrounding his involvement in the saga: whether the foreign currency was declared, would he be compliant with law enforcement agencies and if he was aware the farm belonged to President Cyril Ramaphosa.

A report by an independent panel — which is due to be debated by MPs on Tuesday — found it pertinent that it be established by the South African Reserve Bank and South African Revenue Service whether the president's farming entity had declared the possession of any foreign currency or any business transactions in foreign currency.

In the interview, Mustafa said he had declared $600,000 (about R10.6m) when he entered South Africa through OR Tambo international airport in Johannesburg on December 23, 2019.

He had intended to use the money to buy property but this had fallen through, so he had turned his sights to buffalo breeding.

Ramaphosa told the section 89 panel of legal experts a lodge worker had done the deal and signed a receipt with “Mustafa Mohamed Ibrahim Hazim”, for $580,000 (about R10.2m).

The money was intended to be locked in a safe until the farm manager returned from a break after the festive season. However, the worker felt uncomfortable about leaving the money there because several staff members had access to the safe, Ramaphosa said. “He stored the money below cushions of a sofa in a spare bedroom that is hardly ever used, inside my private residence, because he thought it was the safest place, as he believed nobody would break into the president’s house,” the report said.

Mustafa told SkyNews he had been told the Phala Phala operation had the best stock — and did not know until the scandal broke of the link to Ramaphosa.

“From when I heard the news, this is the first time to learn that he’s the owner. Because if you saw the structure for the file, it belongs to a trustee which belong to his family [the Tshivhase Trust],” Mustafa said.

He confirmed he had not collected the 20 buffaloes, as Covid-19 restrictions had impeded the deal.

Mustafa said he would assist in any law enforcement process.

“Anything to help the justice system and show the truth. I have nothing to hide.”

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