Pauw receives second ‘cease and desist’ letter from SSA

Investigative journalist and author Jacques Pauw – the author of The President’s Keepers – has revealed the State Security Agency (SSA) has issued him with another “cease and desist” letter to remove his controversial book about President Jacob Zuma’s alleged tax evasion and dodgy dealings with gangsters from the shelves.

Pauw made the revelation on Wednesday night during his book launch at Hyde Park Corner in Johannesburg. He said the SSA had given him two days to withdraw the book or face legal action.

The President’s Keepers by Jacques Pauw.

Last week, the SSA gave Pauw and his publisher, NB Publishers, five days to comply with the same order or the spy agency would approach the high court to seek appropriate remedy against the publication of the book, including instituting criminal charges against Pauw and his publisher.

The SSA argued the book was riddled with many inaccuracies of a criminal nature and constituted a violation of the relevant intelligent statutes, and compromised the security of the state.

South African Revenue Service (Sars) also said it was considering taking criminal and civil action against Pauw and the Sunday Times newspaper following the exposé.

On Monday, NB Publishers, through a lawyer’s letter to the SSA, said it would not desist from making Pauw’s book publicly available.

The publisher denied the SSA claims the book was “replete with inaccuracies” and threatened national security.

– Additional reporting African News Agency

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