A weekend report alleging the apparent mastermind behind what is termed the theft of “millions” in foreign currency from President Cyril Ramaphosa’s game and livestock breeding farm in Limpopo was in the ranks of the South African Army has been dismissed.

South African Department of Defence (DoD) Head of Communication Siphiwe Dlamini went on the offensive following a TimesLive report. The report has it, with a disclaimer, that Namibian Imanuwela David as stated by a lawyer appearing on his behalf in a Karasburg court case, enlisted in the SA Army in 2002 and was supposedly deployed on peacekeeping missions in the United Arab Emirate of Abu Dhabi as well as Iraq, Mali and Libya.

The publication points out the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) hasn’t conducted peacekeeping operations in any of the countries named.

A DoD statement, issued by Defence Corporate Communication, Defence Headquarters, has Dlamini saying the SANDF “scorns at continued media reports associating David” with the national defence force.

“The SANDF wants to put it on record once again there exists no record of employment of a Mr Imanuwela David in the SA Army or in any of the arms of service or divisions of the military. The SANDF has never deployed nor taken part in peacekeeping missions in any of the countries mentioned – Libya, Iraq, Mali and Abu Dhabi – as alleged by Mr David (sic),” the statement reads.

• A Defenceweb report