The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has demanded that several law-enforcement agencies investigate allegations that the State Security Agency (SSA) used a R12-million slush fund to destabilise the party. The party made the call after it was granted access to documents used in the criminal trial of two former SSA officials. The documents relate to the trial of Patrick Mshothola, formerly project manager in the SSA's chief directorate for special operations, and Thulani Dlomo, the agency's former deputy director for counter-intelligence.
The two men were charged with theft, fraud, forgery and uttering involving about R12-million linked to Korolo Investment Holdings in 2014. Their prosecution is the first of SSA personnel arising from the findings of the High Level Review Panel on the SSA and the Zondo commission of inquiry into state capture. The EFF's access to the documents was granted by Judge Mashudu Munzhelele, who is presiding over Mshothola and Dlomo's trial.
The alleged spying on the EFF occurred during the tenure of then State Security Minister David Mahlobo, who is now deputy water and sanitation minister. EFF deputy president Godrich Gardee said the party was not shocked by the revelations. He said quite a number of monies were dished out to staff, to Lady X and to so-called operatives, agents and moles inside the EFF.
Gardee said among the options available to the EFF is to raise the matter for a national debate as people cannot have taxpayers' money being used by the secret service whose duty is to protect the people of South Africa and the State. The EFF is calling on the SA Revenue Service, Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka, Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke, Parliament's joint standing committee on intelligence and the office of the inspector-general on intelligence to probe the matter.
According to Gardee, looking back to the period between 2015 and 2016, the EFF saw quite a number of people leaving the party. They left unprovoked and insulting the party. Some of them still do today. Gardee suspects that most probably, they are still on the payroll of the secret service.
Gardee undertook that there would be no witchhunt in the EFF to find the person who received money but the organisation would scrutinise the documents and consult among themselves as the leadership to chart the way forward. The EFF leader Julius Malema would deal with the matter, as it is sensitive.
The EFF's demand for a probe into the R12-million slush fund comes after Malema previously revealed that there was a budget of R10-m from the SSA during Mahlobo's tenure to kill the EFF. The party is yet to receive the documents, but it will use them to get to the bottom of the issue and ensure that those who received the money pay tax on it.
Key points
- The EFF has called on several law-enforcement agencies to investigate allegations that the State Security Agency doled out R12-million to destabilise the party.
- The alleged spying on the EFF occurred during the tenure of then State Security Minister David Mahlobo.
- EFF leader Julius Malema previously revealed that there was a budget of R10-m from the SSA during Mahlobo's tenure to kill the EFF.
