Knives are out for Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni after an intelligence report accused her of abusing state resources to “further political and personal ambitions”.
The report, seen by Sunday World, claims Ntshavheni initiated a covert operation called Sibonkolo to “monitor and smear the current deputy president” Paul Mashatile, but its framework has since been expanded to target nine other senior ANC politicians as “she has ambitions to become one of the ANC top six.”
But the report doesn’t state what position she has her eyes on.
Ntshavheni’s confidantes and sympathisers yesterday dismissed the report as hogwash and information peddling by rogue elements within the State Security Agency (SSA), which falls under her purview.
“Despite the attempts to discredit her, she is continuing with the voluntary severance packages for SSA members who are over the age of 50.
“In a parliamentary reply, she mentioned the introduction of a panel to deal with malfeasance starting at the earliest next month,” said a source, adding that Ntshavheni’s shake-up of the SSA has earned her enemies.
A skills audit at the SSA showed that the agency had an aging workforce, particularly in leadership roles, which affected future planning.
To prevent this, Ntshavheni introduced succession planning and mentoring for higher-level roles, career development paths for lower-level employees, and alternative positions for stagnating middle and senior managers.
To hold members of the service who were responsible for malfeasance accountable, Ntshavheni implemented the recommendation of the High-Level Review Panel to establish independent disciplinary panels chaired by senior counsel to conduct disciplinary hearings against alleged transgressors. Another source said Ntshavheni’s proximity to President Cyril Ramaphosa made other aspiring contenders in the ANC succession race uncomfortable, pointing out there were claims that she was being groomed to take over the leadership of the ANC.
In ANC circles, Ntshavheni, together with her presidency colleague, Maropene Ramokgopa, justice minister Mmamoloko Kubayi, and human settlements minister Thembi Simelane, have been dubbed “CR’s blue-eyed girls”, the source said.
“Everybody who has an interest in running for the ANC leadership position has a bone to pick with her. They see her as a threat, and it makes them uncomfortable. She does not have a campaign, and she is not entertaining those things.”
Sunday World understands that a former chief lobbyist of Ramaphosa travelled to India together with a senior ANC leader. Ntshavheni was invited but did not go.
The report claims the Sibonkolo operation “seeks to target front runners of the ANC elective conference with smear campaigns and multiple bot intrusion techniques”.
Those targeted are:
- Paul Mashatile (Deputy President)
- Mmamoloko Kubayi (justice minister)
- Zizi Kodwa (former minister)
- Bejani Chauke (ANC national executive committee member)
- Ronald Lamola (international relations minister)
- Angie Motshekga (defence minister)
- Oscar Mabuyane (Eastern Cape premier)
- Panyaza Lesufi (Gauteng premier)
- Zamani Saul (Northern Cape premier)
It adds that the operation “does not only seek to defame the said people but also seeks to promote certain political figures”, including herself. Those who are supposed to be protected are:
- Gwen Ramokgopa (ANC treasurer general)
- Bheki Cele (former minister)
- Malusi Gigaba (former minister)
- Mzwandile Masina (former Ekurhuleni mayor)
- TK Nciza (former Gauteng ANC secretary) and
- Fikile Mbalula (ANC secretary general)
A person sympathetic to Ntshavheni said there were several things in the report that can be used to discredit its contents.
“How do you have [TK] Nciza and [Malusi] Gigaba working together with Mbalula when politically they have had a fallout?
“Why would Ntshavheni target Lamola, Chauke and Motshekga? It is well known that she has a close relationship with the three of them.
“This is the most fake of all reports I have seen.”
The report claims Ntshavheni sought the services of an Indian company to run various smear campaigns against her targets on social media. It also claims that the company was paid R500 000 to run a 10-day trial.
The report claims the company is working with Israel’s intelligence agency, Mossad, on a similar campaign “for the Israeli government”.
In conclusion, the report recommends monitoring “closely the activities leading to all the ANC activities in provinces, regions and ultimately the upcoming national congress”.
“We also recommend an intelligence assessment and assessment team be established in KwaZulu-Natal,” it concluded.
The report was allegedly compiled by unnamed intelligence operatives who reportedly visited the Indian company’s headquarters in Mumbai, where they met the person running its operations. Ntshavheni would only say: “I have no comment as I have a lot of work to do and really have no time for sinister covert games”.
