Minister’s upgrade ‘paid by spies fund’

Crime intelligence whistleblower Colonel Dhanajaya Naidoo yesterday corroborated previous testimony at the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture that funds from the secret services account were allegedly used to fence former police minister Nathi Mthethwa’s residence.

In April this year, former KwaZulu-Natal Hawks boss Major-General (retired) Johan Booysen told the commission approximately R195 000 from the secret services account was used.

Booysen said the fence was built at Mthethwa’s private residence in KwaZulu-Natal, without procedures being followed, using funds from the incorrect account. Additionally, Booysen said the amount paid was R95 000 in excess of the R100 000 permitted by the handbook for upgrades to ministers’ residences.

Yesterday, Naidoo told commission chairperson Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo that he had been instructed by the controller of the secret services account, Major-General Solomon Lazarus, to erect a boundary wall at Mthethwa’s residence.

Naidoo said Lazarus had received instructions to do this from former crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli, but could not confirm whether the former minister had instructed Mdluli.

Naidoo said he had gone to Mthethwa’s residence in KwaMbonambi with Mdluli, who was meeting Mthethwa there.

Naidoo said he had travelled with crime intelligence member FM09, who could not be named, and met with another agent, FM46, who oversaw the project.

“I remember a conversation with Mdluli [who said Mthethwa had asked] about why we (crime intelligence) were taking so long with the project,” Naidoo said.

This led to him travelling to KwaZulu-Natal with FM09 and Lazarus and meeting up with FM46. Lazarus had pressed agent FM46 to expedite the project. Naidoo said he put in three claims over a period of months to fund the project, which cost just under R200 000.

On Tuesday, Naidoo told Zondo a Mercedes-Benz ML350 was allegedly purchased for Mthethwa at a cost of R373 850 with funds from the secret service account.

Mthethwa’s lawyer Eric Mabuza reportedly said the auditor-general probed the allegations in 2012 and found no evidence Mthethwa was aware the fence was built using money from the secret service account and no documents had been provided linking the vehicle to him.

Yesterday Naidoo also alleged that former police commissioner and current Minister of Police Bheki Cele had allowed Lazarus to use money from the secret services account for legal fees when the Hawks were investigating him.