Spied on by rogue SSA elements

Former agent claims that 38 people – among them Cabinet ministers – were under surveillance for three years

FORMER police minister and head of the ANC elections Fikile Mbalula says there was a time he was being spied on by rogue intelligence elements.

Mbalula yesterday said he was not surprised by reports that he was placed under surveillance and his cellphone intercepted by spies within the State Security Agency (SSA).

His comments came after the emergence of an anonymous affidavit – allegedly penned by a former spy – which claimed that Cabinet ministers, leaders of non-governmental organisations, judges and trade unions were spied on between 2015 and last year.

The affidavit named the outspoken Mbalula, a former sports minister, as one of the 38 people who were spied upon.

The document – which was prepared in June last year – came to light days after the release of the report of a review panel into the SSA, which found there was serious politicisation and factionalism of the intelligence community over the past decade, based on factions in the ruling party.

Mbalula said he was unaware of the affidavit. “I know I was followed and I was listened to,” he said.

“Those who used the state to undermine the rule of law must face the consequences,” he said.

Mbalula said he was pleased that the government was attending to the illegal intelligence activities.

“We need to give that space a chance. For any of us to comment out of turn will simply jeopardise what government is doing to deal with the unruly elements and rogueness (sic) within the state that undermine the rights of individuals with impunity by abusing the state for political activities,” Mbalula said.

Private investigator Paul O’Sullivan, who was instrumental in getting the former intelligence agent deposed in the affidavit, said the output of the review panel seemed to have gone far deeper than merely the contents of the affidavit and had therefore opened the proverbial can of worms.

“I believe President (Cyril Ramaphosa) did the right thing in making the high-level review public as it is a matter of public interest,” O’Sullivan said.

The SACP also weighed in on the matter and called for legal action against all those who were complicit in the abuse of state intelligence services. The anonymous affidavit claims SACP leader Solly Mapaila is also one of those who was spied on.

“The SACP also reserves its own rights to lay criminal charges and make civil claims against those who might have violated the rights of any of its leadership through such rogue and illegal intelligence activities,” the party said in a statement.

The party said that, on becoming aware that it was one of the targets of criminal intelligence activities, it lodged formal complaints with Inspector-General of Intelligence (IGI) Dr Setlhomamaru Dintwe.

“We urge the IGI to conclude his investigations without any further delay. It is in the interests of our country that we must get to the bottom of this rot,” the SACP said.

Freedom Under Law (FUL) chief executive Nicole Fritz, who was also listed among the 38 people under surveillance, said the suggestion that either she or FUL warranted surveillance was not only preposterous, but profoundly disturbing.

“The pursuit of a perfectly lawabiding person and an equally respectable rule of law agency reflects an alarming level of paranoia among securocrats,” she said.

Former president Jacob Zuma’s foundation said the panel report didn’t mention his name.

“Why must Zuma answer questions on a report that is said to investigate from the year 2005? Zuma became the president in 2009.

“But we understand that it is politics. As requested by the current president, like every other South African, Zuma will also familiarise himself with the report.”