SSA established unlawful protection unit for Zuma, Zondo inquiry hears Updated
Gaopalelwe Phalaetsile
Share this:
The commission of inquiry into state capture has heard how people were illegally recruited into the State Security Agency (SSA) following the election of Jacob Zuma as president in 2009.
WIKUS DE WET/ POOL/ AFP
Forty-eight people from KwaZulu-Natal were unlawfully recruited into SSA to serve Zuma, the commission was told on Wednesday.
An employee at the SSA appeared at the commission on Wednesday under a pseudonym to protect her identity.
‘Ms. K’ is part of an investigation, dubbed Project Veza , which has been probing corruption and maladministration at the agency.
LIVE FEED: State Capture Inquiry - January 26, 2021
By Siviwe Feketha
Share
Johannesburg â The alleged dubious operations of the State Security Agencyâs (SSAâs) Special Operations Unit came under focus at the Zondo Commission on Monday, as its controversial projects were explained.
This as the former chairperson of the High-Level Review Panel, Sydney Mufamadi, took the stand before Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo and testified on allegations of wrongdoing within the intelligence agency yesterday, with special focus on the Special Operations unit (SO).
Mufamadi described the SO within the SSA as having been a law unto itself and serving the political interests of the executive under former president Jacob Zuma through various projects.
The commission has adjourned for the day.
26 January 17:24 Jafta says SSA has “very strong circumstantial evidence” that agency cash ended up in the hands of a judges – as part of “Operation Justice”.
“What I do not have, sitting here right now, is absolute concrete evidence of that”.
Jafta says investigations into the implicated judge are ongoing.
- Karyn Maughan
26 January 17:19 Jafta reveals that SSA investigations into unlawful “special operations” – including alleged efforts to bribe judges – had been compromised by an investigator leaking information to those implicated in wrongdoing.
In response to questions from evidence leader Paul Pretorius about why these investigations have seemingly not gone anywhere, Jafta says it is “too onerous” for someone under whose watch R200 million of SSA cash was spent to explain what had happened. There has been “pushback” he says – including threats and
Former chairperson of the High-Level Review Panel into the State Security Agency (SSA) Sydney Mufamadi has placed former SSA minister David Mahlobo at the heart of the controversial Special Operations (SO) unit and its allegedly dubious projects, including splurging of millions on former president Jacob Zuma.
State Security Agency acting director-general Loyiso Jafta is testifying at the state capture inquiry today.
His boss, State Security Minister Ayanda Dlodlo, wanted a postponement, arguing that there were concerns of national security contained in Jafta s affidavit.
The application was dismissed by commission chairperson Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo as no clarification was presented on what the concerns were.
An attempt by State Security Minister Ayanda Dlodlo to have the evidence of acting spy boss Loyiso Jafta at the state capture inquiry postponed, claiming to be concerned about national security, has been dismissed.
Jafta, the acting director-general of the State Security Agency (SSA), took the stand on Tuesday to give evidence before the commission of inquiry into state capture being chaired by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo.