POLITICS

Drug claims and the minister’s wife – DA calls for inquiry

Ian Davidson MP asks if the NIA knew of Sheryl Cwele’s alleged involvement – and if not, why not

Intelligence Minister drug trafficking link: DA calls for independent inquiry

The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes the news today that a criminal investigation is under way into the alleged involvement of the wife of Minister of Intelligence Siyabonga Cwele (see here) in an international drug trafficking syndicate. However, such an investigation by its mere nature will not have the mandate to ask the broader questions that the issue raises, including possible misconduct by the Minster of Intelligence and corruption within the Department of Intelligence. Therefore, the DA calls on the President to set up a separate independent inquiry, and to suspend the Minister if there is credible evidence that he has failed to act or suppressed attempts at pursuing the matter.

An independent inquiry would need to clarify whether the National Intelligence Agency knew about the alleged involvement of Sheryl Cwele in assisting an international drug trafficking operation, and, if they did, why there was no subsequent investigation. Indeed, if either the Minister or members of his department were aware of this matter, then they have potentially committed a criminal act simply by not pursuing it, and if there is good evidence that the Minister was aware of what was going on then we call on the President to suspend him.

It is difficult to believe the Minister of Intelligence would not have been aware of his wife's alleged involvement in these illegal activities, but if this is the case then other serious questions will inevitably be raised about the effectiveness of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA). The implication is that journalists from a Sunday newspaper are able to uncover an international drug trafficking scandal of which the NIA was unaware, even though these events have been right on the doorstep of the intelligence gathering community. That is difficult to believe - but if it is the case, it points to systematic flaws in the intelligence gathering capability of the NIA. This further underscores the urgent need for an inquiry.

Statement issued by Ian Davidson MP, Democratic Alliance chief whip, March 16 2009

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