State intelligence allegedly abused
According to media reports, a team of state intelligence operatives and police officers were dispatched to Mpumalanga late December to counter any moves by rogue elements within and outside the ANC who intend to embarrass Zuma by booing him in front of the media
NELSPRUIT – The Democratic Alliance (DA) will request that the Inspector General of Intelligence, Adv Faith Radebe, to investigate the alleged use of state intelligence operatives to protect President Jacob Zuma from being booed during the ANC’s manifesto launch this weekend.
According to media reports, a team of state intelligence operatives and police officers were dispatched to Mpumalanga late December to counter any moves by rogue elements within and outside the ANC who intend to embarrass Zuma by booing him in front of the media.
Another team of intelligence operatives would allegedly have headed to Nelspruit today for backup.
The use of state intelligence operatives for political purposes is unconstitutional, and in contravention of state intelligence legislation. In terms of section 199 (7) of the Constitution, the country’s security services may not further the interests of a political party in a partisan manner.
The domestic intelligence mandate specifically excludes “…political activity, advocacy, protest or dissent”, in terms of the General Intelligence Laws Amendment Act of 2013.
The DA said in a press release that it will request Radebe to investigate the following:
• who authorised the use of state intelligence operatives to protect President Zuma from booers;
• the involvement of Zuma in granting this authorisation
• how much this anti-Zuma booing operation cost.
