Issued by: Deputy Minister for Intelligence
PRESS RELEASE REGARDING ALLEGATIONS OF THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN SECRET SERVICE IN DRUG SMUGGLING
A set of articles implicating the South African Secret Service in drug smuggling appeared in the Saturday Star and Saturday Argus this past Saturday 2 May 1998, under the by-line of one Paul Kirk. The South African Secret Service denies in the strongest possible terms the insinuations contained in the articles.
The articles allege that a Mr Somi Simelane resigned from his post as a director in the Secret Service when his alleged involvement in illegal gold and diamond deals came to light.
The facts of the matter are that a Solly Simelane, who was employed by SASS, was arrested on 19 August 1995 by SAPS on charges of trying to deal in unwrought gold. As a result of this arrest, Mr Simelane was suspended from the Service as of 5 September 1995 until the outcome of the charges against him were known. In the event, charges had not been brought against Simelane by the time he reached retirement in 1997 and he retired from the Service as of 31 March 1997.
The articles refer to a consignment of dagga from South America uncovered in Durban harbour in April 1997 and claim Mr Simelane was involved in this smuggling operation, The articles claim that Simelane was stationed in Columbia at the time on official SASS business, that funds were misappropriated from SASS to pay for the shipping charges on the consignment, and that SASS has a significant contingent of operatives working out of offices in Columbia.
The facts of the matter are that Mr Simelane had retired from SASS at the time the alleged drug consignment was discovered, and at any rate was on suspension prior to that. While under suspension Mr Simelane had no access to SASS premises, documents or funds. While a member of SASS Mr Simelane was never assigned any tasks in or related to Columbia or the Americas. Neither had he ever travelled officially or privately to the Americas while in the employ of SASS. SASS does not have, nor has ever had any operatives or offices in Columbia.
The Articles claim that the hunt for Mr Simelane comes in the wake of the conviction in the United States of a South African citizen, Khaohelo Motshati - who claim to be a National Intelligence Agency agent - for trafficking in cocaine. In spite of the denial by the spokesperson for the Minister of Intelligence that Motshati had ever worked for the Agency, the Star and Argus published the comment of a source in the Transvaal Attorney-General's office in support of the US State Department's original statement that the man they hold in custody was a South African government agent and a high-ranking member of the ANC.
We do not know if this source was correctly quoted, or indeed exists, but we would hope that an official of the Attorney General's office would be aware of the facts in this case. SASS was in fact involved in checking on the identity of Motshati when his case came to light, and was informed by the US authorities that he was in reality a Nigerian who was using a false South African passport.
The appearance of this totally inadequately researched set of articles is a cause of great concern to the South African Secret Service. SASS prides itself on its accountability and clean management. We have acted with complete propriety in the Simelane case, by suspending him from duty immediately after his initial arrest in 1995.
The South African Secret Service also prides itself on the contribution it is making in combating the threat on transitional organised crime and has scored many successes in this field in assistance to the SAPS. We also have very strong and warm co-operative relations with other services throughout the world in the fight against organised crime.
We believe we have an awesome responsibility to inform our government timeously and accurately on issues relating to national security and the interests of the country. Recently a head of department found it necessary to resign after failing to meet the tough standards expected of the intelligence community in a democratic South Africa. We would hope we could expect the same integrity from our media in informing the South African people, and the international community, especially at this time of profound and delicate transformation.
Issued by the Ministry for Intelligence Services 5 May 1998