By Moshoeshoe Monare
Former intelligence minister Ronnie Kasrils surprisingly came out in support of Moe Shaik as head of the South African Secret Service, adding he also wanted to appoint the controversial superspy in 2004.
Kasrils, who resigned as minister last year after the recall of former president Thabo Mbeki, says "there is not a blemish" on Shaik's professional record.
"Up until that time as an official in government in various levels, Moe was politically non-partisan, he was not involved, he did not open his mouth with regard to the Schabir, Zuma issue at all... Moe's role from that period, 2005 to Polokwane (2007), was in his capacity as an ordinary member of the ANC and ordinary citizen. So there's no way one can hurl at him accusations of political involvement and misuse of position for political purposes when he was no longer in government," he said this week.
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Shaik could not be reached for comment He said the DA and other Shaik critics should be concerned about oversight over intelligence agencies, and not personalities.
"What they should be saying is what is in place to prevent the kind of abuses of power and resources that emerged during the saga of emails... they are just worried about Moe Shaik."
He defended Shaik against "unfair" criticism from the DA that his appointment was a reward for loyalty from Zuma.
"I have said that if I had had the possibility, I would have actually appointed Moe when I became minister mid-2004... I always had a positive (relationship) with Moe, by the way. But he left to attend to his brother's affairs... Schabir," he said.
Kasrils says he respects Shaik for standing his ground in his support for Zuma during the succession tussle.
"He is one of the people in that whole period that was 100 percent sure about (his support for Zuma)... nine out of 10 people during that period just kept their heads low and were not prepared to show where they were.
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