Johannesburg - A State Security Agency (SSA) operative has detailed the extent to which former State Security minister David Mahlobo, was involved in operations and how bags of cash left the spy agency either under his instructions.
The operative who testified at the Zondo Commission, gave evidence from an undisclosed location and used the pseudonym, Steven, since his identity is being withheld.
He told Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo that Mahlobo’s reach into went far beyond his role as Minister.
Steven said that during a Presidential and ministerial visit to Eersterust in Gauteng, Mahlobo told him that he was unhappy with how the operations were being run and would be taking over.
“He said we were not giving him what he wanted and he would take over the operation. I told him to refrain from getting involved in things that didn’t concern him, and that he could not get involved in intelligence as he would get into trouble.
“He [Mahloba] said he knew about intelligence because he had training for three weeks or something but I told him that was not enough. He needed at least 10 years training to do what we did,” Steven said.
Steven said that in one instance, they deployed surveillance in Phelindaba in Tshwane after Mahlobo gave a tip-off that there was sabotage planned by foreign nationals there.
Steven said after two weeks of police and military deployment, he called Mahlobo to report that nothing was taking place.
He said at that point, Mahlobo told him that the sabotage had already happened.
“I said it cannot be because we have been here with our forces deploying huge amounts of resources for nothing,” Steven said.
The witness said he was informed that the tip-off came from “an old man” and Mahlobo instructed him that the old man should be paid R3 million for it.
Steven said the SSA paid R120 000 on numerous occasions for the protection of a specific individual.
He told the Commission that he was concerned that auditors would pick up the irregular payments and decided to conduct counter surveillance to establish whether the person was really under threat.
“There was no threat to this person at all. He was going to the mall and home as normal and there was no one following him,” Steven said.
Steven told the Commission that he called Mahlobo to inform him that he was stopping the payments to this person.
He said Mahlobo also irregularly approved an operation dubbed, Project Greenleaf, headed by former director of special operations, Thulani Dlomo.
Project Greenleaf was aimed at spying on a number of officials including former President Jacob Zuma, current ANC treasurer-general Paul Mashatile, senior SSA officials and army generals.
The inquiry is continuing with testimony from another unnamed SSA official using the pseudonym, Frank.
IOL