No evidence for Project Justice allegations, says State Security Minister

Minister of State Security Ayanda Dlodlo has dismissed claims about the so-called Project Justice at the State Security Agency (SSA), saying its existence “has not been verified nor has there been any evidence presented”.

This is after former chairperson of the high-level review panel into SSA, Dr Sydney Mufamadi said in his testimony at the Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture in January that Project Justice involved recruiting and handling sources in the judiciary to influence the outcome of cases against former president Jacob Zuma.

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Mufamadi also claimed Zuma pocketed millions of rands from the agency’s special operations unit from 2015 to 2017.

Speaking during a Q&A session in the National Assembly on Wednesday, 3 March, Dlodlo noted that the testimonies made by Mufamadi and SSA’s acting director-general Loyiso Jafta were of “great concern”. However, the evidence was not verified.

“In their words to the commission of the both acting director-general and Dr Mufamadi have said that they do not have concrete evidence to back these allegations.

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“The allegations they made in respect of the so-called Project Justice have not been verified nor has there been any evidence presented to the minister with respect to what was said in the testimonies.

“I have on more than one occasion, following the testimonies of both of them, asked the director-general to furnish me and my office with information relating to this project. Up until this morning and at this point I do not have much information at my disposal,” Dlodlo said.

Jafta told the commission that SSA had very strong circumstantial evidence of cash being handed to a member of the judiciary.

Meanwhile, Dlodlo said Jafta disobeyed her authority by testifying at the commission.

“He decided to disrespect my authority and go directly to the commission without coming to the minister, when the law is clear on the relationship between the minister and the authority and control over the department and that of the director-general,” she said.

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The minister further said a forensic investigation had been initiated into the allegations.

“I have made every effort following both testimonies to obtain information regarding these impure projects in order to satisfy myself as to the facts and veracity of the allegations.

“I have as a matter of fact directed the head of the domestic branch of Intelligence to initiate an investigation, a forensic investigation, into these allegations as these allegations occurred in the domestic branch,” Dlodlo said.

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