In a critical open letter, Professor Mary de Haas warns President Cyril Ramaphosa about dangerous, rogue agents loyal to former President Jacob Zuma, still operating in KwaZulu-Natal. She criticizes the new IPID Act as “deeply flawed” and highlights a lack of proper oversight and resources within intelligence services. De Haas urges Ramaphosa to establish a judicial inquiry and address constitutional breaches to restore effective governance and national security.
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By Chris Steyn
“Dangerous, rogue agents roam free” in KwaZulu-Natal – and handpicked supporters of former President Jacob Zuma – who were trained in subversive operations during his tenure – are allegedly still reporting to him.
These are some of the warnings contained in an Open Letter written to President Cyril Ramaphosa by veteran violence- and police monitor Professor Mary de Haas.
In this letter she protests his signing into law of the “deeply flawed” IPID Act while “failing” to enact legislation restoring proper oversight of ingelligence agencies.
“Various sources, including a former parliamentarian, have confirmed that during his tenure as President, Jacob Zuma sent handpicked supporters for advanced training in intelligence and subversive operations, including – according to one source – different assassination methods. It is alleged that they remain loyal to Zuma and report to him and his MK colleagues. If that is true, it obviously amounts to sedition. But the very lack of any proper controls about who is employed and paid by State Security poses a danger especially, in this particular case, to the KZN province.”
Professor De Haas points out that the deterioration of the intelligence services has not been “sudden”. “…those at station level have not operated properly for years – but it now seems to be a national problem. Not only has there been restructuring in the intelligence component of policing (now headed by people lacking training or experience in the field), but sufficient money and equipment for intelligence operatives (e.g. vehicles, and to pay informers) is lacking. It is alleged that the Secret Service Fund…has been looted for other purposes.
“However, only the office of the Inspector-General of Intelligence is able to investigate these allegations and this office is hampered by lack of sufficient independence, including financial, from the very State Security Agency which remains in breach of constitutional requirements about oversight until you sign that legislation into law.”
Professor De Haas reminds President Ramaphosa that she had, on 27 April this year, sent him an urgent open letter requesting that he establish a judicial inquiry into IPID, “which not only fails in its mandate to charge and convict police who torture and kill with impunity, but allows its investigators to defeat the ends of justice by colluding with criminals and interferIng in police investigations against them.
“There is evidence that certain IPID staff members in KZN and at the national office have been targeting some of our top investigators with malicious charges, thereby posing serious threats to their lives.
“A group of Hawks investigators have also alleged that there has been ministerial interference in the work of the Directorate in stopping the prosecution of former Police Minister (Bheki) Cele in the case of corruption against him when he was National Commissioner of Police opened by former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela.”
Professor De Haas reminds the President that she had “begged” him not to sign the controversial IPID Bill into law yet. “But you have done so, despite my having pointed out to you that it does not meet the requirements of the Constitutional Court 2016 Order in the matter brought by Robert McBride against the Ministers of Police and Public Service for independence from undue political interference.”
Professor De Haas says this “suggests” that the President is not sufficiently committed to the collaborative governance embodied in South Africa’s Government of National Unity (GNU), “some of whom opposed the passing of this legislation, which was pushed through by your power-hungry party”.
She adds: “It is not clear why you have prioritised the enactment of what appears to be an unconstitutional IPID bill but, as far as I can ascertain, neglected to sign the General Intelligence Laws Intelligence Bill which is designed to remedy the Constitutional breaches identified by the High Level Review Panel chaired by Dr Sydney Mufamadi. This bill aims to restore independent oversight of this opaque agency which has been used to pursue narrow political interests and not those of South Africa for over a decade – interests which pose a continuing threat to our stability.”
Read Professor De Haas’ Open Letter to President Ramaphosa in full here:
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