Africa on the browse report
6 June 2007
On 18 May 2007, the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) received
a letter from a legal firm copied to other government officials, inquiring into
a report that contains numerous allegations about many people within South
Africa and in other countries. The contents of this report have been widely
canvassed in the media.
The Directors-General of the relevant Intelligence and Law Enforcement
authorities wish to state the following with respect to this report.
1. During the first half of last year, the NDPP received the first version
of the report in question. Attached to the letter referred to earlier was a
second version of the report that differed from the first version specifically
with respect to the dates and the number of recommendations. The fact of the
existence of these differences strongly suggests that the first version has
since been edited. At this stage, it not clear who would have made those
changes, when and where.
2. After receiving the report, the NDPP, given his concerns about its
content and considerations of the mandate and capacity of the Directorate of
Special Operations (DSO) consulted with the Directors-General of the National
Intelligence Agency (NIA) and the South African Secret Service (SASS). Based on
other information available to the intelligence agencies, including knowledge
about their respective mandates and capacities, the Directors-General in charge
of the intelligence agencies determined that this report was a classic stratcom
type initiative that bore malicious intent. As such, the said report enjoys no
status in government.
3. Accordingly, the report and its recommendations were not acted upon.
However, there are on-going investigations to identify the source(s) of the
report and the relevant intentions thereof.
The Heads of the Intelligence and Law Enforcement agencies wish to inform
the public and other interested parties that the report in question is not
different from other malicious documents and hoaxes that have been dealt with.
Several of these malicious reports have been dealt with and others continue to
receive attention.
True to what the Directors-General stated in their media statement of 25
March 2006, these manufactured reports have all the traits of stratcom type
operations.
The aim is to cause confusion, mistrust and division in government and
within and among some political organisations and other organs of civil
society. Further, there is implied illegality on the part of the producers of
these reports. There clearly is intent to cast doubt on the integrity and
legitimacy of the intelligence and law enforcement authorities of the state and
there is a discernable role by operatives of the erstwhile apartheid
government.
It is the considered view of the Directors-General that these kinds of
malicious reports are going to continue surfacing. In this regard, the state
organs will deal with such machinations resolutely, within the parameters of
the law and in an impartial and professional manner.
Contact:
Lorna Daniels
Cell: 082 418 3389
Panyaza Lesufi
Cell: 083 256 7933
Issued by: Government Communications (GCIS) on behalf of Heads of Law
Enforcement and Intelligence agencies
6 June 2007
