Media implicated in state capture

Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo yesterday heard evidence from the former chair of the High-Level Review Panel into the State Security Agency (SSA), Dr Sydney Mufamadi, who claimed the Africa News Agency was an SSA front.

Mufamadi also stated former president Jacob Zuma benefited millions of rands from the agency’s special operations unit between 2015 and 2017.

“With project commitment, we were told that the project involved providing then president

Jacob Zuma with R2.5 million per month in the 2015/16 financial year. This amount was increased to R4.5 million per month in the 2016/17 financial year.

“The allegation there is that the money was provided via the then minister of state security, David Mahlobo. The person who gave this information was saying they are certain the money was given to Mahlobo, but could not prove that Zuma received it,” Mufamadi said. Mufamadi also told the commission that a special operation – dubbed Project Wave – was launched in an effort to infiltrate and influence local and international media to allegedly counter bad publicity for the country, Zuma and the SSA.

Mufamadi said the project was launched in the 2015/16 financial year with a budget of R24 million.

“One of the largest amounts issued for this project was one of R20 million given to a media agency for services rendered for eight months,” he said.

Mufamadi further said another special operation dubbed “Project Justice” had also been launched to bribe judges to counter any judgments against Zuma.

He also revealed that the SSA had operations to impede the distribution of then deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa’s CR17 campaign as well as infiltrate “Zuma Must Fall” leadership.

‘Project Justice’ launched to bribe judges