Issued by: Ministry for Intelligence Services
STATEMENT BY MR JM NHLANHLA, DEPUTY MINISTER FOR INTELLIGENCE SERVICES; ALLEGATIONS IN MAIL & GUARDIAN
The article SA spy agency on trial in the Mail & Guardian of July 24 is riddled with inaccuracies. The article claims that there is a plot to incriminate Mr Donovan Nel and suggests that he is the victim of a conspiracy involving the Chief Directorate: Security in the National Intelligence Agency.
The Ministry for Intelligence Services would like to categorically state that there is no evidence of a plot as is suggested by the M&G. If and when irregularities are discovered in the investigation, and proof is found for such a conspiracy, these will be tested in court and the law would take its course. There is not plot to incriminate Mr Donovan Nel, nor is he the victim of a conspiracy. In this regard, the facts are:
Some time before the extortion threat was received, he complained that he had been receiving racist threats. An investigation was immediately launched by the Chief Directorate: Security of the NIA. Evidence pointed toward himself as the originator of the threats. The directorate then began the process of initiating a case of fraud against the member in question.
Whilst that investigation was continuing, the threat against the President's life was received. This threat bore a lot of resemblance to those being the focus of the ongoing investigation. Within 24 hours after receiving the threat, the SAPS was informed of the matter and took control of the investigation.
The SAPS, using the information at the disposal of the Chief Directorate: Security, investigated the matter and found that the evidence pointed towards Mr Nel. The SAPS then took the matter to the public prosecutor who, after studying the evidence in question, issued a warrant of arrest. The suspect (Mr Nel) was then arrested.
Up to that point, he was not aware that he was one of the subjects of either an internal investigation or of an SAPS investigation. Therefore, he was not in a position to and in fact did not request to be subjected to a polygraph test, as stated by the M&G.
The NIA works closely with the SAPS on all internal investigations that may end up in a court of law. In this regard, several cases have already been referred to the SAPS and Mr Nel's case is no exception. It would have been irresponsible not to pass such sensitive information to the SAPS for investigation.
The M&G raises the question why Mr Nel was not charged for the theft of minibuses, suggesting some sinister reasons. The investigation in fact found no evidence to support Mr Nel's involvement in the theft of minibuses and for that reason, he was not charged for the theft of the minibuses.
ISSUED BY THE MINISTRY FOR INTELLIGENCE SERVICES, 24 JULY 1998