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SAFRICA-POLITICS-ZUMA-CORRUPTION-REPORT
Zuma used intel services to target Ramaphosa: probe
JOHANNESBURG, March 10, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Former South African president
Jacob Zuma used the country’s intelligence services for his own political and
personal interests, most notably against his successor, Cyril Ramaphosa, a
government report charges.
Published Saturday on Ramaphosa’s initiative, the report of about 100
pages details “serious breaches of the Constitution, policy, law, regulations
and directives” by Zuma during his nearly nine years in office.
The State Security Agency (SSA) targeted Ramaphosa in the run-up to his
becoming head of the ruling African National Congress in 2017, and then
president, it said. Zuma stepped down in early 2018 amid charges of massive
corruption.
The agency was “able to infiltrate and penetrate the leadership structure”
of the movement against Zuma, said the report, drawn up by a team under
former minister Sydney Mufamadi said.
The SSA became a “cash cow” for many, both inside and outside the agency,
it added.
Ramaphosa has promised to root out corruption and, in a strong statement
on the report, condemned the way the intelligence services had been
politicised.
“A key finding of the panel is that there has been political malpurposing
and factionalisation of the intelligence community over the past decade or
more that has resulted in an almost complete disregard for the Constitution,
policy, legislation and other prescripts,” the president said.
A review should consider splitting the SSA in two to create a domestic and
a foreign service, he added.
BSS/AFP/ARS/1646 hrs