Top spy Thulani Dlomo, lawyers head to court over his dismissal

Johannesburg - Sacked top spy Thulani Dlomo and his lawyers are set to head to court where they intend to oppose his dismissal from the State Security Agency (SSA).

Dlomo had been reported AWOL by the department following his return from Japan where he had been posted as South Africa’s ambassador to Japan. 

He had been summoned back from that posting by President Cyril Ramaphosa in February and told to head back to the State Security Agency. He did not return to the SSA and revealed earlier this month that he had not reported to work due to ill health and had also sent sick notes to the department.

Speaking to Independent Media earlier this month, Dlomo said reports that he had gone AWOL were untrue. 

Dlomo’s lawyer, Philani Shangase of Shangase and Associates, told SA FM on Monday that Dlomo was at his house in Durban and had been at home since his return from the diplomatic mission in Japan, adding that allegations that he could not be traced were untrue.

Independent Media journalist Sihle Mavuso was able to track down and interview Dlomo a few weeks ago. 

Shangase said Dlomo had been in a meeting with the Inspector General in Durban where Dlomo had asked him to be his representative.  

“He’s not at work because he’s indisposed. He’s not well and according to him, he has submitted medical certificates to his employer and his employer has confirmed the receipt of such medical certificates,” said Shangase.

He told SA FM that they had not received a letter of dismissal from the department. The only letter that he had received from the Director General of SSA indicated that they had terminated his services and he had purported to attach a dismissal letter but it was not there. 

“I then sent an email requesting an attachment of the letter since it was missing, they acknowledged the receipt of my email. I then sent another email saying ‘please I need that dismissal letter so that we can advise our clients about his rights’ because he was also anxious to know what were the reasons for the dismissal,” Shangase said. 

He said that they received a response stating that the department had sent the letter and maybe it had not come through. Shangase then sent them another email address to which the department could use to send the email.

“Ever since we did that, we have not received a dismissal letter,” he said. 

Shangase said that Dlomo had instructed them to institute legal processes to challenge his dismissal because in the letter from the Director General, it was indicated that Dlomo’s medical aid had been suspended because he had been dismissed. However, they do not know the reasons for dismissal since the letter of dismissal was not attached. 

“We have to challenge his dismissal, hoping that once we institute the proceedings they will find it fair to disclose the dismissal letter because it is that letter that will inform us on the proper course of action to be taken,” Shangase said. 

Political Bureau