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Exposed: intelligence agents rampant abuse of the law

AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER

DAMNING allegations of wanton abuse of the law and misuse of hundreds of millions of rands by agents of the South African State Security Agency (SSA) have been tabled at the Zondo Commission into State Capture.

Loyiso Japhta, the acting-director general has revealed that:

  • Units of the SSA were used for political purposes to support a faction within the governing ANC.
  • SSA agents created non-profit organisations to support the ANC.
  • Money was used to fund a union created to neutralise the threat posed by the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union which became a major union in the mine industry.
  • At least R9-billion in property assets has disappeared.
  • SSA agents illegally held former President Jacob Zuma’s wife, Nompumelelo Ntuli-Zuma,  in detention in 2014 after claims that she had poisoned him.
  • SSA cannot account for at R125-million used in the 2017/18 financial year.
  • The organisation’s firearms were given to non-SSA members.
  • There was prima facie evidence that SSA agents may have been involved in illegal and unconstitutional acts.
  • There was circumstantial evidence that at least one judge received money from SSA. The commission has heard evidence that there was a plan to bribe some judges to influence them to act favourably for Zuma. 

Japhta, who took over as acting head of SAA three years ago, revealed that he inherited a department that was mismanaged. There was no proper system for financial management. A high number of SSA employees owed the agency millions.  Fixed assets were registered in the name of private individuals.

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Japhta said as part of the clean up, SSA terminated a number of projects and assignments deemed irrelevant or illegal. These included ending the relationship with the non-profit organisations as well as providing protection services to Dudu Myeni, a former chair of the South African Airways board.

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On the illegal detention of Ntuli-Zuma, Japhta bemoaned that she was held in remand without going through due process. He said there was sufficient evidence that she was being held against her will.

Japhta said it would be difficult to determine, with absolute certainty, that former president Zuma gave instructions for his estranged wife to be detained. The alleged poisoning of Zuma, who went to Russia for treatment, was the subject of an investigation by the police  but the National Prosecutions Authority declined to prosecute anyone.

On the firearms, Japhta said the unlawful acts took place within the special operations environment and expressed his concerns about firearms that have not been recovered and anxiety over what the firearms could have been used for.

Zondo was taken aback by the loss of R9-billion in assets. “That is a lot of money. How could a government department not be able to account for R9-billion? With R9-billion, imagine what you could do for people,” he said.

Two days ago, the commission heard evidence from Sydney Mufamadi who dropped several bombshell allegations.

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By The African Mirror

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