EFF deputy president and MP Floyd Shivambu is being accused of leaking a confidential.Image: Doctor Ngcobo
SIYABONGA SITHOLE
The EFF says it is concerned about suggestions that its deputy president and MP Floyd Shivambu leaked a confidential document by inspector-general of intelligence into the SARS Rogue Unit. The party says it is not true that its leader had acted unlawfully by sharing this document as it was in the public domain before it was sealed and classified as confidential.
Last week, a witness testifying in Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s impeachment inquiry said Shivambu did so as the complainant in the South African Revenue Service (Sars) investigative unit matter. Ponatshego Mogaladi also confirmed Mkhwebane’s version that the report had been dropped off by an unknown person.
“The EFF has noted the ridiculous and desperate media frenzy, initiated by ill-informed establishment journalists and the media houses, with regards to the release and sharing of the inspector-general report into the SARS Rogue Unit with the public protector.
“It is testament to their illiteracy and their thirst to attack the enemies of Pravin Gordhan, hired guns who call themselves journalists have sought to criminalise the EFF deputy president, Floyd Shivambu, for sharing an intelligence report that was part of the public record and readily available since 2019,” the party says.
Party spokesperson, Sinawo Thambo said the report, which has since been removed from court papers was readily available and could be shared with anyone after the equality court dismissed Gordhan’s attempt to have it removed from the court record in 2019 adding that the existence of the unit is an open secret.
“The EFF maintains that the SARS Rogue Unit, established by Pravin Gordhan to intercept communication and pursue political enemies of the regime existed and this has never been disputed even by Gordhan himself. It was at the Zondo Commission that Gordhan conceded the existence of the ‘special intelligence unit’ within SARS, for which he sought funding from Trevor Manuel. This unit was established in accordance with the Constitution by way of legislation through the president, meaning the intelligence capacity within SARS was rogue... Furthermore, there has been no legal dispute of the findings of the Sikhakhane report, which made damning findings on the existence of the unit and its covert activities,” said Thambo.