Zuma threatens to reveal more apartheid spies

Former president Jacob Zuma has threatened his political opponents that he intends to reveal “more secrets” if he is not left alone.

Addressing supporters at the Pieter Roos Park Zuma seemed unbowed and declared, “Some say this old man is angry… All I am saying is people must be very careful. When I say, I will say things about them, I mean it,” he declared.

Zuma has been in an accusatory mood all week and announced at the Zondo commission that two ANC leaders, Ngoako Ramatlhodi and Siphiwe Nyanda, had been spies for the apartheid government. While the accusations came with no evidence and remain untested ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule confirmed that the ‘ANC NEC [national executive committee] will soon be discussing the spy claims’.

Now he has announced that he will out additional “spies” in the ANC saying, “They will think I am mad when I reveal them one by one.”

Zuma also hinted that he would reveal the name of the informer who apparently tipped off Apartheid security police about the whereabouts of Chris Hani almost 40 years ago saying, “An interesting question is who had given the information to the Boers at that time.” Zuma then ended his speech, leaving the question hanging, and implying he has had the answer all along and has potentially been shielding that person.

Not everyone is convinced Zuma knows as much as he claims, and many are suggesting he is merely throwing around accusations to muddy the waters around his appearance at the Zondo commission on State Capture. Among these is SA Communist Party deputy secretary-general Solly Mapaila who on Thursday said Zuma should tell the State Capture Commission of Inquiry about corruption during his tenure and stop deflecting.

“We indicated from the beginning that we must not allow any diversion from the context of that commission. The Zondo-led commission is dealing with matters of state capture and corruption against certain individuals who allowed the State to be abused and captured, and not only the Gupta family…that is what the former president should have been concerned about and deal with those questions,” he said.

Zuma’s address at the Pieter Roos Park came after he agreed to return to the Zondo commission to continue giving evidence into state capture a move welcomed by fellow members of the ANC.

ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe declared, “As we said before we won’t be making any running commentary – however it is encouraging that both former President Jacob Zuma and the commission of inquiry into state capture are reaching a common ground on how to manage issues of concern in the interest of fairness. We have reiterated our position as it relates to our overwhelming support towards the commission and still believe that it’s ability to discharge its mandate to ultimately uncover whether our state was captured or not depend on the willingness and cooperation of all those invited to the commission as Witnesses. It is such cooperation displayed and expressed in an open platform which will accord our administrators of law and order to also conduct their work unhindered.”

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