The cocaine raid scandal gripping South Africa has a new leak. British police passed intelligence to their South African counterparts. The revelation came late Tuesday. It threatens to deepen the crisis for President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Sources close to the South African Police Service confirm the intelligence sharing. The Met Police's Organised Crime Command sent a dossier to Pretoria. It contained details on a suspected drug trafficking ring. The ring allegedly includes senior politicians. Three cabinet ministers are under scrutiny. One is a close Ramaphosa ally.
The dossier landed weeks before the dramatic raid. South African police stormed a private estate. They seized 200 kilograms of cocaine. Two British nationals were arrested. The raid was hailed as a success. Now questions are mounting. Who leaked the operation? Why did it happen when it did?
British officials are tight-lipped. The Met referred inquiries to the Home Office. A Home Office spokesperson said: "We do not comment on operational matters." But Whitehall sources confirm the intelligence was shared under a bilateral agreement. The agreement covers drug trafficking and organised crime.
The timing is awkward for Ramaphosa. He faces a leadership challenge within the ANC. The scandal has given his rivals ammunition. They whisper that his government is compromised. The raid has become a political football. Every new detail fuels the fire.
Opposition parties are calling for an inquiry. The Democratic Alliance says the intelligence sharing is a "serious breach" of protocol. They claim it undermines South Africa's sovereignty. The Economic Freedom Fighters go further. They accuse the UK of meddling. They want the British High Commissioner expelled.
But the UK is not backing down. The intelligence relationship with South Africa is vital. Both countries face rising drug violence. The City of London is a hub for money laundering. The flow of cocaine through Cape Town is a shared concern. This raid was a test of cooperation. It has now become a test of trust.
The real story is the politics. Ramaphosa is fighting for his political life. The ANC's integrity committee is investigating the ministers. They could face disciplinary action. If they are forced out, it weakens Ramaphosa's faction. The president needs allies. He cannot afford to lose more.
For the UK, the calculus is different. The government wants to show it is tough on crime. The Rwanda deportation plan is stalled. The drugs war is the new frontier. Sharing intelligence is a low-cost way to appear active. It also builds leverage in African capitals.
But there are risks. The South African backlash could damage relations. The UK relies on South Africa for trade and diplomacy. It is a key partner in the Commonwealth. A diplomatic row would be costly. The Foreign Office is monitoring the situation closely.
The scandal is far from over. More leaks are likely. The arrested British nationals may talk. They could implicate higher figures. The intelligence dossier itself could be leaked. That would be explosive. It would show exactly what the UK knew. And who in South Africa knew it.
For now, the game continues. Ramaphosa is in a corner. The UK is watching. The cocaine raid scandal has become a proxy war. It is about power, drugs, and the bonds of empire. The next move is anyone's guess.
