STATEMENT ON ALLEGED VISIT TO GROOTVLEI PRISON

Issued by: Ministry for Intelligence Services

STATEMENT BY MR JM NHLANHLA MP, DEPUTY MINISTER FOR INTELLIGENCE SERVICES: RESPONSE TO MEDIA ENQUIRIES RELATING TO AN ALLEGED VISIT TO GROOTVLEI PRISON IN BLOEMFONTEIN

Following media enquiries after the publication of a lead story in the Sowetan of 6 May 1998, under the heading, "Nhlanhla in prison riddle", I would like to state for the record that.

• I have not been to any prison since late 1993 when I visited the Pretoria Central Prison.
• I have never visited Grootvlei Prison in Bloemfontein, although I have been to Bloemfontein on many occasions as that is part of my constituency work for the ANC.
• The South African Police Service and the National Intelligence Agency have as one of the national intelligence priorities, the investigation of arms and arms caches. This work is done under the supervision and guidance of the Cabinet through the responsible Ministers. This, therefore is one of my responsibilities and a personal concern.
• Should I receive any information on arms and arms caches, I will hand it to the National Intelligence Agency for verification and confirmation. If confirmed, such intelligence will be passed to the SAPS for further action. In this, we ensure rigorous investigations in order to rid the country of illegal arms and arms caches. To suggest that I said "we would have nothing to do with. an investigation of arms caches" is mischievous at best, and at its worst a deliberate attempt to portray me as unconcerned about the proliferation of small arms that are used in criminal activities costing us many innocent lives.
• If I indeed had visited the prison as alleged by unnamed sources, I will openly admit to it, especially if I was there to assist in the eradication of the scourge of small arms. But I was never there and I will not claim victory for battles I have not waged. Further, as a Deputy Minister I am not involved in operational matters, although I will do anything in my power and within the confines of the law and the Constitution to facilitate the work of our intelligence services and structures. In doing so, I will always follow the correct procedures. I will not go to a prison clandestinely, not will I hide my having been there.
• I know that the sources of the Sowetan claimed that I had left my business card at the prison, an allegation not mentioned in the story, nor verified. One can only assume that the reporter who wrote the story did nothing to independently verify the information provided by the source, even after being confronted with a categorical denial that I had ever visited the prison. For that matter, I rarely if ever use business cards. In addition, not even the prison authorities have been consulted for comment in order to find proof or to give some credibility to the article.

In conclusion, I can only caution journalists who may be tempted to follow up the story to look for better sources who can give them credible and factual stories. Even so, independent corroboration by newspapers remains of the essence as they may become the unwitting collaborators of some dirty tricks outfit pursuing its own agenda. It would be a tragedy should we return to the days where any unsubstantiated allegation is given credence by being published in the media.

ISSUED BY THE MINISTRY FOR INTELLIGENCE SERVICES, 7 MAY 1998