State security head slams book

THE director-general of the State Security Agency, Arthur Fraser, and his family yesterday released a statement demanding that investigative journalist and author of the best-seller The President’s Keepers, Jacques Pauw, retract the “lies”and “false allegations” made against the family in his book.

The statement that was distributed for the Fraser family by Oryx Media, accused Pauw of allowing himself to be manipulated and trying to influence the ruling party politics and the 2019 general election.

The family denied Pauw’s allegation that a Fraser sister was married to “all powerful” intelligence officer, Graham Engel. They also branded “untrue” the contention that Barry Fraser was the director of a company and NGO that benefited from an alleged intelligence operation dubbed PAN.

The family also rejected claims that 83-year-old Mrs CF Fraser was a PAN agent.

“That would be laughable if it wasn’t so hurtful and malicious. These ‘facts’ and others in the book are in fact lies,” read the statement.

Although the family said they supported the principle of a free press holding the government to account and contributing to the fight against corruption and abuses of power, they warned journalists that they had more responsibility than ever to maintain a critical distance from their subjects and check their facts before rushing into print.

“Failure to do so renders them political pawns,” they warned.

The family’s statement was released yesterday and Pauw was not available to comment.

However, in an interview earlier in the day, Pauw pegged his stance and refused to allow threats of legal action to sway him from promoting his book, despite the “multitude” of possible legal challenges.

Sars accused Pauw of contravening the Tax Administration Act for revealing details of President Jacob Zuma’s tax affairs. The book has already sold more than 20 000 copies.