South Africa's leader faces calls to resign over charges of cash stuffed in couches

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa responds to questions in Parliament Cape Town, South Africa, on Sept. 29, 2022, where he denied allegations of money laundering while being questioned over a scandal that threatens his position and the direction of Africa's most developed economy. (Nardus Engelbrecht/AP)

JOHANNESBURG — South African President Cyril Ramaphosa faced calls Thursday to step down after a parliamentary panel's probe found he may have breached anti-corruption laws in connection with the alleged theft of a large amount of money from his Phala Phala game farm.

The calls follow allegations by the country's former head of intelligence, Arthur Fraser, that Ramaphosa tried to conceal the theft of a huge sum of cash stuffed into couches at his farm in 2020. Fraser, an ally of the president's political rival and predecessor, Jacob Zuma, accused Ramaphosa of money laundering and violating foreign currency control laws.