SARS has confirmed that it is not in possession of any record of Phala Phala buffalo buyer Hazim Mustafa declaring the large amount of cash he brought into South Africa in December 2019, to buy buffalo’s from President Cyril Ramaphosa.

The tax agency was responding to a Promotion of Access to Information Act request by DA leader John Steenhuisen.

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Mustafa, the Sudanese businessman who paid $580 000 in cash to Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm, claimed in a Sky News interview he declared the cash at OR Tambo airport upon entering South Africa.

It turns out this man was lying. He did not have tax declarations.

I think all media houses that he spoke to should request him to come and explain why SARS is saying he lied! pic.twitter.com/882LMIvbLx

— Africa Research Desk 📚📁 (@MightiJamie) March 6, 2023

In a statement, SARS said its Information Officer did an extensive search for the record in various SARS Passenger Processing Systems, and following engagements with the relevant business units within SARS, he was advised that the record could not be found and /or may not be in existence.

SARS said it will continue to comply with the provisions of Section 23(4) of PAIA.

If the record in question is found after 5 March 2023, Mr Steenhuisen will be given access to the record unless access is refused on a ground for refusal contemplated in Chapter 4 of PAIA.

📝Here's SARS confirmation that the US dollars hidden inside a couch on the Phala Phala farm of Ramaphosa were not declared upon entering SA.

This means that we now know that the President had hidden dirty dollars, which entered the country illegally, inside a couch on his farm. pic.twitter.com/wdlLZK46Io

— Democratic Alliance (@Our_DA) March 6, 2023

The SARS customs policy on excess currency stipulates that “every person must declare” foreign currency upon arrival in the country. Failure to adhere to this provision is an offence that may be criminally prosecuted.

Steenhuisen says the response by SARS means that ”we now know that the President of South Africa had hidden dirty dollars, which had entered the country illegally, inside a couch on his game farm.”

It renders Ramaphosa’s claim that these funds were merely the proceeds of a business transaction impossible to believe, because legitimate business transactions are usually not hidden from SARS inside a couch.

Steenhuisen alleges it now seems likely that Ramaphosa may have been in possession of these dirty dollars for a corrupt, illicit or criminal purpose.

The information also adds further credence to the findings of the Section 89 panel’s report that there exists prima facie evidence that Ramaphosa may have violated the Constitution, the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act, as well as his oath of office. The ANC last year abused its majority in the National Assembly to reject the panel’s report and Ramaphosa vowed to overturn it in court.

The Constitutional Court last week denied Ramaphosa direct access to challenge the panel’s findings.

Steenhuisen says should Ramaphosa turn to another court, the DA will introduce this new information from SARS as evidence that the panel’s report must stand.

The DA will also submit this information from SARS to National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula as reasoning for the DA’s request for the urgent establishment of an ad hoc committee to probe the Phala Phala matter.

It’s going to be very interesting to SARS’s next move on Cyril Ramaphosa’s dollars. When ordinary citizens don’t declare income or provide information to them, they will hunt you down. Let’s see if they have the same enthusiasm for the President now.

— Dean Macpherson MP (@DeanMacpherson) March 6, 2023