LIVE FEED: State Capture Inquiry - January 28, 2021

Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo. Picture: Karen Sandison/African News Agency (ANA) Archives

Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo. Picture: Karen Sandison/African News Agency (ANA) Archives

Published Jan 28, 2021

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Johannesburg - The Zondo commission will continue to hear evidence on the State Security Agency (SSA) today.

An unidentified witness, known as Ms K, is expected to take the stand.

On Wednesday, Ms K testified that Thulani Dlomo, formerly the SSA’s deputy director-general responsible for counter-intelligence and South Africa's former ambassador to Japan, ran a private protection unit dedicated to former president Jacob Zuma.

Ms K said the unit usurped the functions of the SAPS’s presidential protection unit, which is responsible for the safety of presidents, their deputies and their families. Dlomo reported directly to Zuma.

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”It’s something that we deduced, not that there is evidence. Some of the people we interviewed did indicate that they were reporting directly to Zuma,” she said.

Ms K said one of the people involved in the unit even bragged that they felt very powerful because they reported directly to Zuma.

She said Dlomo, through the chief directorate: special operations, saw to it that the SSA assumed responsibility for Zuma’s food and toxin security, physical security and the static protection of his aircraft. Funds and other resources that should have been used for legitimate intelligence structures were channelled to the parallel structure serving Zuma’s interests rather than the national interest.

Ms K said the special operations chief directorate engaged in exponential overspending.

Political Bureau and IOL

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