'Special Browse "Mole" Consolidated Report'
28 July 2007
The Intelligence and Law Enforcement agencies undertook an investigation
into the document entitled 'Special Browse "Mole" Consolidated Report.' In
particular, the agencies were tasked to investigate the origins of the report;
the sources of the contents thereof; the contributors and their intentions. The
agencies were also tasked to establish as to how the report was inserted into
the public domain and the intentions thereof.
The investigation has established the identities of the people who provided
information that makes up the "Browse Report."
After being processed within the Directorate of Special Operations (DSO),
the report was given to the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP)
who, in July 2006, sought the advice of the Directors-General (DGs) of the
South African Secret Service (SASS) and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA)
on its contents proceeding from the premise the NDPP asserted, that the DSO
neither has the mandate nor the capacity to handle such matters. A preliminary
assessment of the contents of the report by NIA and SASS led them to conclude
that some of the contents of the report were malicious and were intended to
create confusion. Accordingly, none of the State organs conducted any
investigations relying on this document.
The investigation has established that a different version of the 'Browse
Report' was leaked to a journalist six months later in January this year.
Subsequently, it was leaked to some leaders of the African National Congress
(ANC) and later to the General Secretary of the Congress of South African Trade
Unions (Cosatu).
There is a considerable degree of clarity with respect to the role players
involved in the leaks referred to above, their modus operandi and their
intentions. Further, there is little doubt that the various leaks were
deliberately orchestrated and timed.
With respect to the contents of the 'Browse Report,' it is quite clear that
while some of the events cited actually occurred or are true, woven into them
are provocative, deliberate and baseless allegations. For example, while former
members of Umkhonto We Sizwe (MK), the former military wing of the ANC actually
met in Shaft 17, there is no truth to the allegation that the said meeting also
conspired to violently and unconstitutionally remove the current government
from office.
At this point, it is appropriate to characterise some of the sources of the
information that were used to compile the 'Browse Report.'
They are predominantly former members of the present intelligence agencies
whose initial background was with the secret services of the apartheid
government � the former Special Branch of the South African Police; Military
Intelligence of the South African Defence Force and the National Intelligence
Service. Others are people who had relations or associations with these
entities.
In a project proposal (some of the sources associated with the Browse
report) submitted to one department, they claim that "deception, provocation,
disinformation, covert influencing, etc are important components of their
outfits' capacity to disrupt or neutralise the target groups and their
activities." As we have stated several times before, the above skills and
experiences were established and sharpened within the security establishment
and STRATCOM operations of the apartheid regime.
It has also been ascertained that in the main the information that makes up
the 'Browse Report' had previously been provided to the other intelligence
agencies. On investigation, and on the basis of knowing the sources involved, a
greater and material part of the information in question proved to be false.
The intelligence services are aware of other documents of a similar nature
which have been produced by the same source(s).
The investigation has also established important links between elements of
the 'Browse Report' and some of the e-mails that, as you would know, also
proved false. This particularly relates to some of the themes as well as the
background and modus operandi of the sources of the information.
The investigation confirmed that some of the sources of the 'Browse Report'
form part of wider networks of information peddlers who operate within our
country as well as in other countries. In this regard they offer services to
private businesses in the country and internationally as well as foreign
intelligence entities.
Within South Africa, there is evidence of concerted efforts to target the
ANC and its Alliance partners, some organs of the State, government officials
and departments. Their activities in the above regard have triggered
considerable tensions, mistrust, anxieties, confusion and deductions about
conspiracies affecting numerous people, both within Government and outside
Government.
With respect to other initiatives of these information peddlers, it is clear
that the objective has been to:
* weaken and paralyse government by waging a co-ordinated and sustained
smear campaign against targeted officials of government
* erode the integrity and legitimacy of government by suggesting or alleging
uncorroborated acts of corruption; involvement in all manner of criminality by
a wide range of officials and other serious, but personal misdemeanours
* destabilise the ruling party with the intention of weakening the democratic
State in its resolve to better the lives of all the people of South Africa, as
well as work for a better Africa and a better world.
A number of countries in the Southern African region and in other parts of
the world have fallen prey to the machinations of these peddlers. In this
regard, it is quite clear that their objectives include:
* destabilising these countries politically
* undermining their diplomatic relations with the government of South Africa
and thereby divide the region
* undermining the integrity and legitimacy of some of these governments and the
leaders thereof by alleging collusion with organised crime syndicates,
etc.
* making money in a manner most vile.
The investigation has also established that the intelligence activities of
some of these persons and the methods used are illegal or border on illegality.
In this regard, appropriate investigations are on-going with a view of
subjecting persons involved to the due processes of the law.
It has also been established that officials within some of the organs of the
State are involved in exchanging sensitive information with these peddlers and
some members of the media. There are also indications that there is an
interface with foreign intelligence services in a manner that could threaten
the security of the State. Further investigations are being carried out in this
regard.
Simultaneously, we shall ensure that no department of state and state-owned
enterprises open themselves to abuse by these entities. This includes all the
intelligence and law enforcement agencies of the state.
In order to ensure the above, the intelligence and law enforcement agencies
will improve co-ordination amongst themselves as well as tighten their
counter-intelligence operations to protect organs of the State from such abuse.
Other affected departments shall cease to use external security services or
individuals without the prescribed vetting requirement.
Appropriate measures are going to be instituted to ensure that regional
governments and beyond are made aware of the real intentions of these peddlers
and the risk they pose to the stability of the affected countries and regional
integration and cohesion.
We would want to assure all South Africans that this threat to our freedom
and democracy is receiving due attention.
We would also appeal to all South Africans, including the business
community, members of political parties and employees of the state, members of
the media and to our neighbours and beyond our region, to exercise maximum
vigilance and subject any information that is inserted into their systems or
institutions and in the public arena to a rigorous test.
It is our collective responsibility to ensure that no one is allowed to
undermine the ideals enshrined in our Constitution.
Contact:
Lorna Daniels
Cell: 082 418 3389
Issued by: Government Communications on behalf of the JCPS Cluster
28 July 2007
