Former President Jacob Zuma has hit back at an incriminating report which claims he manipulated the State Security Agency (SSA) for his own benefit, while head-of-state.
According to the report, which was published by president Cyril Ramaphosa's office on Saturday afternoon, Zuma, during his tenure, created and moulded dubious operational mandates within the SSA. It's alleged that the SSA, under the command of Thulani Dlomo and Arthur Fraser, bowed to the former president's every wish.
Report details how Zuma used and abused the SSA According to the findings of the high-level panel review report, the SSA - with its valuable and powerful resources - was used as a political tool to further Zuma's reign. Unconstitutional methods of subjugation, suppression and espionage are highlighted within the report.
While the ruling African National Congress (ANC), under the leadership of Ramaphosa, has been preaching unity in the face of fierce factional infighting - the latest SSA report threatens to tear the embattled party asunder. One of the most damning allegations made against Zuma involve his dirty tactics aimed at halting Ramaphosa's ascension to the throne in the lead up to the infamous NASREC conference in December 2017.
The recent allegations tabled in the SSA report come in the wake of other dubious accounts, which detail a supposed presidential overthrow plot - led by Zuma and his allies within the ANC - with the intention to challenge the outcome of the NASREC conference.
It's also alleged that Zuma used the SSA to spy on, with the intention to suppress, unions and civil society organisations, namely Right2Know and the Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution (Casac).
Jacob Zuma hits back at apartheid spies' I have never been asked any questions by this committee. This committee has 2 well known Apartheid spies. I've never sold out nor written letters to the SB. I feel nothing when Apartheid spies call me corrupt. I hope people are not opening a can of worms which they might regret
- Jacob G Zuma (@PresJGZuma) March 10, 2019 A clearly rattled Zuma has hit back at the report, taking aim at the commission's review panel. On Sunday evening, the former president took to Twitter to announce his disdain, stating:
I have never been asked any questions by this committee. This committee has 2 well known Apartheid spies. I've never sold out nor written letters to the SB. I feel nothing when Apartheid spies call me corrupt. I hope people are not opening a can of worms which they might regret.
It's interesting to note that Ramaphosa himself was recently labelled as an apartheid collaborator by former ANC member, now COPE leader, Mosiuoa Lekota. Zuma's retaliatory rhetoric takes aim at those he calls apartheid spies' and while it's clear that he is pointing the finger at those on the panel, the allegations against Ramaphosa make the recent scandal all the more complex and potentially devastating for the ANC.
This comes at a time when Ramaphosa is trying his hardest to clean up the SSA and other state institutions, namely, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations (Hawks), the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and the South African Police Service (SAPS). The SSA report forms part of this mop up' strategy aimed at renewal.
The High Level Review Panel which drafted the SSA report was headed by former minister, Sydney Mufamadi.
Tags: Cyril RamaphosaJacob ZumaPoliticsSouth AfricaState Security Agency
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Former President Jacob Zuma has hit back at an incriminating report which claims he manipulated the State Security Agency (SSA) for his own benefit, while head-of-state.
