A lot of bull

The game auction at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm in Limpopo has concluded.

More than 60 lots were auctioned off. Security was tight on Saturday at the farm.

Some breeders sold the embryos and straws of semen belonging to these prized animals.

Ramaphosa is one of 16 breeders who had their cattle on show. He was also present at the event which was closed to the media.

According to the auction house Veewinkel, the most expensive sale was of a bull, named Cumulus (see picture), which was sold for R1.65 million. Cumulus does not belong to Ramaphosa whose heifer, Pata Pata, sold for just R675,000.

Another bull, Dollar, sold for R1 million. He came with 1,000 semen straws.

The auction fetched more than R20 million.

The auction comes at a time when criminal investigations are being conducted in relation to money allegedly made from the sale of game, that was subsequently stolen from the farm two years ago. The theft was not reported to the police per normal procedures.

Ramaphosa faces questions regarding how the money was obtained, why it was stored in furniture, why there appeared to be little security to deter the thieves, and what the connection with Namibia is. 

Questions are also raised about possible SA Reserve Bank and SA Revenue Service contraventions.