Former Director of the Domestic Branch of State Security Agency, Gibson Njenje has testified about former State Security minister, Siyabonga Cwele stopping another investigation by the agency.
Njenje told the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture that Cwele requested him to investigate operations of a covert Principal Agent Network (PAN) with allegations of abuse of taxpayers money.
Much like the SAPS secrete slash fund, it was found that PAN was used for purchase and leasing of properties, purchasing of 300 vehicles, employing untrained or vetted agents and siphoning off funds to family relatives of senior members.
Njenje says from the outset, Cwele tasked him to investigate the activities of what was called the Principal Agent Network (PAN) programme which had been directed the then DDG Operations, Mr Arthur Frazer.#StateCaptureInquiry
— State Capture Commission (@StateCaptureCom) November 26, 2019
Njenje says after handing over the PAN investigation to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Cwele instructed him to stop the probe.
“He said no it’s the President’s (Jacob Zuma) decision. He (Cwele) said it was the President’s decision that it should not continue. I said but why (does) he say the President thinks that this is going to compromise national security.”
“I said no minister; (here) we are dealing with criminality not national security. He was adamant that it was the President’s decision [that] I should just stop with that [investigation], and that Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and everyone else do not proceed,” explains Njenje.