STATEMENT OF THE MINISTER FOR INTELLIGENCE ON THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY'S ALLEGATION OF BUGGING IN THEIR OFFICES

Issued by: Ministry for Intelligence Services

19 November 1999

The Ministry for Intelligence Services has learned with great shock from the media about the allegation that the Democratic Party's offices are allegedly bugged by state intelligence services. This claim follows shortly from similar claims made by the Israeli Embasy and about surveillance equipment found in a house opposite the German Embassy.

It is with great regret that I note publicly that the Democratic Party has opted to use the mass media to address a matter of such enormity without seeking an audience with the Presidency or my office. This is despite the fact that:

• We have had a number of meetings in which we have mutally agreed that we would always have an open door policy so as to ensure that we treat intelligence as a national asset;
• The DP could have used other avenues, such as the Public Protector or the office of the Speaker of Parliament, to address this matter.

These allegations are being made without any shred of evidence being forwarded to substantiate the involvement of South African intelligence services. On the contrary intelligence services are treated as guilty until they are proven innocent. Again, without prejudging the matter I am concerned with the ease with which people jump to the conclusion that the National Intelligence Agency is involved in illegal surveillance activities. In a country where there are many security organs and a myriad of private intelligence services, matters such as these need to be treated with great circumspection.

I would like to assure the Democratic Party and all political parties that intelligence in South Africa operates in a politically non-partisan manner. As a fundamental step to break with the old apartheid dispensation, political interference by intelligence was ruled out. It is thus the fundamental principle of the new dispensation to ensure free political activity i our country. If there is anyone within the intelligence services who has violated the Intelligence Code of Conduct and or the Constitutional and legal framework, the law will take its course.

We appeal to the Democratic Party and any other political party that feels that they are under surveillance to co-operate with the Ministry for Intelligence Services so as to ensure that we leave no stone unturned in uncovering perpetrators of such dastardly deeds. To this end we will do all in our powers to ensure that there is no intelligence meddling in legitimate political activities.

Issued by the Ministry for Intelligence Services
Contact Persons: DI NKOSI 082 801 8410 or H SCHLENTHER 083 628 9852