‘SPOOKS PAID SOME JOURNOS’

EVIDENCE: WITNESS CONFIRMS TWO PAYMENTS OF R20M MADE TO ANA

‘Release of funds did not reflect what was actually done under Project Wave.’

Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo could soon tighten the noose around journalists who benefitted from State Security Agency (SSA) former director-general Arthur Fraser’s R48 million slush fund named “Project Wave”.

With a intelligence senior official only identified as “Ms K” having confirmed before the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture that Fraser made two payments of R20 million to the Africa News Agency (ANA), evidence leader advocate Paul Pretorius yesterday said there was evidence in possession of the commission that “a number of people within the media received money”.

“There is evidence ... pointing to individuals within the media that received money as part of Project Wave,” said Pretorius.

“This is evidence that will be put before the commission at a later stage. We have a number of people within the media – something to be considered by the commission.”

The commission this week heard how ANA – owned by Iqbal Surve’s Independent Media – was used by Fraser to counter negative stories about former president Jacob Zuma.

“The release of funds did not reflect what was actually done under Project Wave, which related to the media.

“Motivation for the release of the funds for the project bore no resemblance under what was conducted,” claimed another unnamed witness, “Mr Y”, whose affidavit was confirmed by “Ms K”.

K, who was part of Project Veza’s investigation into corruption and maladministration at the State Security Agency (SSA), conceded that attempts by the pro-Zuma spy agency to penetrate media houses – “one area of interest” – proved difficult.

She agreed with an assertion by Pretorius that SSA operatives found that “either remuneration demands were higher than what the operations could offer or that the targeted media houses were equal on security alert”.

“They were immune to approach or to be recruited.

“Media refused to cooperate or possible sources were too expensive,” said Pretorius.

The commission also heard how rogue intelligence operatives were called to infiltrate the ANC 2017 Nasrec elective conference, which saw President Cyril Ramaphosa emerging as party leader – defeating rival Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.

According to K, operatives belonging to the chief directorate of special operations (CDSO), “disbanded” in 2016, were called back by Fraser and unleashed at the conference.

In a failed bid to ensure Zuma’s former wife won the ANC presidential election, Fraser approved the Nasrec operation, with R19 million in hard cash collected from the SSA, before the start of conference proceedings.

Of the amount, R5 million was spent on the “kingmaker”.

During the Zuma presidency, the notorious CDSO was used to fight ANC factional battles.

Said K: “It would not be peculiar to have SSA members at such an event, because we have special events that would be managed by SSA in a supporting role to a certain extent.

“But what stands out for me when we looked at this CDSO, it was purportedly closed in 2016 or early 2017 and most of the members of the unit had to go home and remained unplaced.

“Yet when it was time for Nasrec, they were called from home to be present at the Nasrec operation.”

Hearings into the SSA continue.

Possible sources were too expensive