Bid to indulge Zondo on SSA DG’s evidence had no malicious intent: Dlodlo

Minister of State Security, Ayanda Dlodlo, says she will continue to observe the proceedings of the State Capture Commission. This follows the acting Director-General of State Security Loyiso Jafta’s testimony at the commission yesterday.

Jafta explained how the agency allegedly conducted illegal operations and siphoned huge sums of money from the organisation often for fictitious projects.

“Particularly when we go towards an election there would be projects would be intended and funded to enhance he political fortunes of the ANC and these projects were prosocuted there is AMCU that at the time appeared to be much stronger than NUM and then the State Security Agency is used is employed to weaken AMCU,” Jafta said.

Dlodlo has decided to reserve the right to file a formal substantive application to the commission.

According to a statement from the Minister’s office, she initiated the postponement proceedings yesterday to allow for a process of proper consultation between the acting Director-General and herself regarding the proceedings of the commission in respect of the participation of the intelligence community.

“This consultation would have then enabled the Minister to subsequently brief the President on the Agency’s submission to the Commission as a matter of courtesy and accountability. From the onset, the Minister kept the President informed as a matter of transparency, respect, and courtesy, of the steps she was taking to approach the Chairperson of the Commission through her legal team.”

The Minister says briefings with the President help in ensuring compliance with the law regarding disclosure of intelligence information.

“I sought such a briefing and reports on the basis of my constitutional obligation to oversee intelligence work in the Republic and to apprise the President of the implications of any intelligence information in accordance with section 209 of the Constitution and section 12 of the Intelligence Services Act, 2002 (Act 65 of 2002)” says the Minister.

She says seeking the indulgence of the commission’s chair on the matter was not malicious.

“We have on a previous occasion successfully asked for indulgence from the chair in respect of the Inspector General’s testimony to the commission and so this was not malicious nor an intention to frustrate the work of the commission” she added.

Jafta testifies at the State Capture Commission: 

Ms K testifies 

Today, the commission continued its work with the testimony from an unidentified witness, dubbed Ms K. She spoke about how the State Security Agency established a parallel private protection force for the personal use of former President Jacob Zuma, soon after he took office in 2009.   Ms K is an employee of the SSA and is involved in investigations relating to the improvement of the governance systems of the Agency.

She has been giving evidence from an undisclosed location for safety reasons.  Ms K has confirmed the affidavit of Mr Y that 48 non-SSA members were recruited for the Agency by Ambassador Thulani Dlomo in 2009, even though he was still working at the KwaZulu-Natal Social Development Department.

The 48 members, according to Mr Y’s affidavit, were recruited as part of the SSA’s Special Operations and were involved in projects to test Zuma’s food and drink for toxins and to watch the Presidential plane when it was parked, among others. The Toxicology Unit comprising two toxicologists and two lab technicians cost the SSA approximately R 1.8 million a month according to Ms K. She blamed the leadership for the systematic ills at the State Security Agency in the last decade.

“From an executive level, the abuse of the SSA and its mandate happened primarily under the political leadership of Ministers Siyabonga Cwele, David Mahlobo, and Advocate Bongani Bongo and was implemented primarily but not exclusively by Mr. Moruti Nosi, Ambassador Thulani Dlomo, Ambassador Sonto Khujo, and Mr. Fraser, Arther Fraser.”

Ms. K says that there were tensions between the SSA’s Directorate for Presidential Support and the SAPS VIP Presidential Protection Services as the latter was legitimately mandated to protect the President and his Deputy. She also gave evidence of the politisation of the SSA between 2008 and 2018.

“What I could gather from one of the implicated individuals during an interview was them admitting to taking money to fund the Protect Luthuli House campaign. She indicated that the money was used to bus in people from KZN who were purported to be MKMVA members and the SSA paid for their accommodation, food, and transportation.”

Ms K confirmed that some of the non-SSA members were later integrated into the SSA’s Special Operations Unit when Dlomo was formally appointed and structural changes were made to the organisation. She continues her testimony on Thursday.