DA will request JSCI probe of SOU criminal activities

10 August 2014

The DA will request the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence (JSCI) to launch a full probe into the latest newspaper reports of abuse of state resources by the Special Operations Unit (SOU) of the State Security Agency (SSA).

This comes after City Press reported this morning that it had hundreds of SMSes, e-mails and tape recordings, dating back to 2011, that expose the SOU for using state resources to carry out a series of illegal activities and smear campaigns against top civil servants (see the Rapport/City Press version here and here and the Sunday Times version here).

Most notably, reports allege that convicted drug dealer, Glenn Agliotti, was commissioned by the SOU to recruit tobacco smugglers for its operational ends.

It is also alleged that 15 persons, whose identity is yet to be confirmed, have been contracted by the SOU, which among them include, former operators from the intelligence community.

There is yet no telling just how far this rogue element extends into South Africa's security apparatus.

If we do not stop this now, we will allow our country to return to the days where the security services became a state within a state, feared by the people, and outside of civilian control.

This might become a threat to our constitution and democracy.

It is therefore essential that Parliament respond swiftly and with resolve to make sure that this is not left unanswered. We must make it clear to our security services that they come under the purview of Parliament and that the people of South Africa will not tolerate this abuse any longer.

Statement issued by Dirk Stubbe MP, DA Shadow Minister of State Security, August 10 2014

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