The South African State Security Agency (SSA) on Friday issued investigative journalist and author Jacques Pauw and his publisher, Tafelberg, with a "cease and desist" order from publishing his controversial book about President Jacob Zuma's alleged tax evasion.
This comes after last weekend’s Sunday Times’ lead story, “Gangster republic: inside the Zuma family’s dealings with the criminal underworld”, which was an extract from Pauw’s book, “The President’s Keepers – Those keeping Zuma in power and out of prison”.
In the book, Pauw exposes, among others, an alleged plot by Zuma to quash his massive R63 million tax bill, his failure to submit his tax returns during at least the first five years of his Presidency, and how Zuma kept receiving a secret monthly pay cheque from a friend despite being paid by the State as president.
Pauw also alleges that South African Revenue Services (Sars) Commissioner Tom Moyane is aiding Zuma to avoid his tax obligations.
Acting on behalf of the SSA, law firm Kgoroeadira Mudau Inc said that Pauw must cease and desist from making the book public and withdraw it from the publishers and any suppliers.
The law firm said that the SSA believes that the book was riddled with many inaccuracies of criminal nature and constitutes a violation of the relevant intelligent statutes , and compromises the security of the state.
"Noting the admission that you did not seek the views of the (people apparently implicated), it is not surprising that this book is replete with inaccuracies.
"We note that it is the duty of the author, editor and publisher to ensure the accuracy thereof. In the circumstances, we hold them jointly and severally for any responsible for repeat publication of this fake information," the SSA argues.
The SSA also said that Pauw must retract the parts that it deemed inaccurate and provide it with written confirmation that he has done so.
Failure to comply to these demands within five days, the SSA said it would approach the high court to seek appropriate remedy against the publication of the book, including instituting criminal charges against Pauw and his publisher.
Meanwhile, Sars had already said that it was considering taking criminal and civil action against Pauw and the Sunday Times newspaper following the weekend exposé.