Johannesburg - Deputy Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Kebby Maphatsoe has backtracked on his allegation that Public Protector Thuli Madonsela was a CIA spy.
He changed his tune on Monday – and said Madonsela “thinks she is God”.
Maphatsoe and senior leaders of the Umkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans Association (MKMVA) claimed that Madonsela was possibly being used by “foreign intelligence agencies” to tarnish the image of President Jacob Zuma and the ANC.
They avoided calling the CIA by name in an apparent bid to avoid straining relations between the ANC and US President Barack Obama’s government.
Two US embassy officials attended the MKMVA media conference at the ANC headquarters in Luthuli House to get first-hand information about their alleged covert involvement in South Africa’s internal affairs through Madonsela.
The climbdown came as the US embassy indicated it was to lay an official complaint with the South African government.
“We categorically reject the baseless and offensive accusations from the Dep Min and will lodge complaint through Dip channels,” US ambassador Patrick Gaspard tweeted on Monday.
He also retweeted this comment from veteran radio journalist Tim Modise: “How can a govt minister make such scurrilous and political comments at an official event?”
Maphatsoe refused to respond during the briefing on Monday to a question whether his about-turn came about because of Madonsela’s threatened legal action against him.
Asked to respond on the comments he made at the unveiling on Saturday of a tombstone of former MK combatant Linda “Lion of Chiawelo” Jabane, he asked his special adviser, Ike Moroe, to answer for him.
Maphatsoe told hundreds of people at the unveiling that Madonsela was on the CIA’s payroll, sparking a furore.
In his address, which was posted on YouTube, Maphatsoe said: “We can’t allow people to hijack the ANC. We’ll fight and defend the African National Congress.
“UThuli umele asitshele ubani ihandler yakhe (Thuli must tell us who is her handler). Thuli can’t claim to say she was a member of Umkhonto weSizwe and all of a sudden she’s acting like a counter-revolutionary.
“They are even using our institutions now… These Chapter Nine institutions were created by the ANC but are now being used against us, and if you ask why, it’s an agenda of the Central Intelligence Agency.
“(The) Americans want their own CEO in South Africa, and we must not allow that.”
On Sunday, Maphatsoe promised to provide finer details linking Madonsela to the CIA at the media briefing on Monday.
Instead, Moroe reluctantly conceded that Maphatsoe had linked Madonsela to the CIA on Saturday, saying it was possible that the CIA was part of other agencies wanting to destabilise South Africa.
“Nothing is impossible from the international intelligence community,” said Moroe.
The MKMVA said the plot to destroy Zuma by foreign agencies began after the ANC’s unbanning in 1990 and was still active.
“It is difficult to prove a spy is a spy. However, as former members of MK, we know how foreign intelligence works. We have those expertises among us.”
He reiterated that Madonsela was the creation of these agencies.
Maphatsoe cited Madonsela’s finding on SABC chief operations officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng and her recommendations on the Nkandla report.
“Why must poor Zuma pay for the security upgrades at his house? Where is he going to get the money? She thinks she is God. She does not respect the SIU (Special Investigating Unit) report.
“What else do you (Madonsela) want? She is playing the man and not the ball. Thuli leaves us with no choice but say to say it is actions of enemy agents.”
Instead of substantiating his spy claim, he repeated a question he had asked on Saturday, saying: “If advocate Thuli Madonsela feels more powerful and about the constitution, she should tell the country who her handlers are.”
He also said Madonsela never set foot in any MK camps in exile.
The ANC characterised the incident on Monday as “extremely unfortunate”.
ANC spokesman Zizi Kodwa said:
“As the ANC, we reaffirm our support and confidence in the institutions established to promote and safeguard our democracy, notably the Office of the Public Protector.
“It is our unwavering belief that those who lead these important institutions should be able to conduct their work unhindered and without any fear or favour.”
Madonsela has given Maphatsoe three days to prove his claim that she is working for the CIA. She also expected him to retract his comments and apologise.
If he did not, she would take action against him for contempt of her office, her spokesman Oupa Segalwe said. The hearings would be open to the public.
Under the founding legislation of her office, it is a crime to insult the public protector.
The Star