US embassy cable - 05PRETORIA4340

C O N F I D E N T I A L PRETORIA 004340 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/24/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PINR, SF 
SUBJECT: NIA IMPLICATED IN ANTI-MBEKI SPYING 
 
REF: PRETORIA 4296 
 
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Don Teitelbaum 
Reason 1.4 (b) 
 
1.  (C) Summary: National Intelligence Agency Director 
General Billy Masetlha and two of his deputies on October 21 
were suspended by Intelligence Minister Ronnie Kasrils after 
NIA was accused of spying on Saki Macozoma, a prominent 
businessman and ally of President Thabo Mbeki.  Press reports 
also have claimed that NIA unlawfully intercepted emails 
between senior ANC and government officials regarding the 
succession battle between Mbeki and former Deputy President 
Jacob Zuma, a charge Kasrils vehemently denies.  Kasrils also 
warned senior intelligence officials after the Masetlha 
suspension that they are to stay out of political disputes, 
but it remains unclear to what extent they will heed this 
warning.  End summary. 
 
-------------------------------------- 
SURVEILLANCE FIASCO SPARKS SUSPENSIONS 
-------------------------------------- 
 
2.  (SBU) Intelligence Minister Kasrils suspended Masetlha, 
NIA Deputy Director Gibson Njenje, and counter-intelligence 
General Manager Bob Mhlanga after he received a complaint 
from businessman Saki Macozoma about NIA surveillance. 
(Note: NIA is South Africa's internal intelligence service, 
while the South African Secret Service handles foreign 
intelligence.  End note.)  Macozoma -- a prominent 
businessman who sits on the ANC's National Executive 
Committee, is close to Mbeki, and is considered a dark horse 
presidential contender -- had noticed two vehicles on October 
17 taking pictures of his Johannesburg house.  Macozoma and 
his bodyguards subsequently noticed that he was being 
constantly followed.  On October 19, Macozoma's bodyguards 
confronted the surveillants, who admitted that they were from 
NIA.  Macozoma subsequently informed Kasrils of this, 
immediately prompting the suspensions.  Intelligence 
Inspector General Zilile Ngcakani publicly stated that 
surveillance of Macozoma had not been officially authorized 
and that an investigation would commence immediately. 
 
3.  (SBU) Ngcakani's investigation also will look into the 
source of several incriminating emails that were sent 
immediately after the suspensions were announced.  The 
emails, which appear to have been targeted at the press, 
claimed that NIA agents intercepted emails between senior ANC 
and government officials sympathetic to Mbeki about getting 
rid of succession "stumbling blocks."  Kasrils immediately 
dismissed the claims, noting that NIA would need judicial 
authorization for such intercepts.  Press reports also note 
that the Intelligence Minister also met with senior 
intelligence officials on October 21, sharply warning them to 
remain non-partisan in the ongoing political infighting, 
calling abuses "political conspiracy with dangerous 
repercussions." 
 
------- 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
4.  (C) Embassy contacts have long noted that NIA is full of 
Zuma sympathizers unafraid to leak sensitive information that 
would damage President Mbeki.  The Macozoma surveillance, 
however, is a step too far, and will likely cost Masetlha and 
his deputies their jobs.  Although he is less prominent than 
ANC-affiliated business magnates like Cyril Ramaphosa and 
Tokyo Sexwale, Macozoma plays a powerful behind-the-scenes 
role bolstered by close ties to the President.  As for the 
emails, they appear to be a crude attempt to attack Mbeki and 
his supporters, but they will likely damage NIA's integrity 
more than that of the President. 
 
5.  (C) Mbeki's next moves are unclear, but the latest 
allegations give him the pretext for a housecleaning of the 
internal service.  The President may, however, elect to keep 
lower-level Zuma sympathizers on board where they will be 
easier to monitor and control.  Either way, it is hard to see 
Masetlha's career surviving.  This scandal and NIA's 
allegations against the Scorpions (Ref) have turned him from 
an Mbeki favorite into an ANC persona non grata in just a few 
short weeks. 
TEITELBAUM