The Inspector General of Intelligence‚ Sethlomamaru Dintwe‚ is investigating the origins of the intelligence report apparently used by President Jacob Zuma to fire Pravin Gordhan.
In a statement on Monday‚ DA MP David Maynier‚ said Dintwe had confirmed the probe.
Maynier had written to Dintwa in March amid the storm that followed the sacking of Gordhan as the Finance Minister.
In his letter‚ Maynier had asked that Dintwe to investigate “whether any element within the national intelligence structure played any role in the production‚ or the dissemination‚ of the ‘intelligence report’‚ and if so‚ whether same amounted to a violation of the Constitution‚ any law‚ any regulation and/or any policy applicable to the national intelligence structure in South Africa.”
Zuma received a lot of criticism‚ including from his deputy Cyril Ramaphosa‚ for using the report to justify the firing.
Ramaphosa slated Zuma publicly‚ saying he raised his concerned and objections because Gordhan was “removed based on an intelligence report that I believe had unsubstantiated allegations about the Minister of Finance and his deputy going to London to mobilise financial markets against our country.”
Said Maynier: “We welcome the investigation because we need to get to the bottom of whether any element within the national intelligence structure played any role in the production or dissemination of the bizarre ‘intelligence report’ reportedly used as a pretext for the cabinet reshuffle which pulled the plug on the economy and triggered ‘junk status’ in South Africa.”
Last week‚ South African Communist Party deputy secretary general Jeremy Cronin also called for an investigation into the origins of the report during an address at a memorial service for Ahmed Kathrada in Cape Town.
- TMG Digital
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