The Directorate of Special Operations (Scorpions) did not act improperly as suggested by the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL), Public Protector Lawrence Mushwana said on Thursday.
The ANCYL last year lodged a complaint with his office stating that the Scorpions held an ”inappropriate” meeting which was aimed at influencing the internal processes of the African National Congress, which, maintained the league, amounted to an abuse of power.
The complaint was based on an article published in the Sunday Times in in which it was alleged that senior Scorpions held a meeting in June 2007 during which strategies for survival of the directorate were discussed.
The alleged meeting — held around the time of an ANC policy conference — allegedly looked at four high-profile cases being investigated by the unit.
The cases were reportedly those of ANC deputy president Jacob Zuma, former transport minister Mac Maharaj, former Limpopo premier Ngoako Ramatlhodi and police National Commissioner Jackie Selebi.
”The complaint was based solely on an article in the Sunday Times. When we requested more information in order to investigate the allegations, the Sunday Times refused to cooperate,” Mushwana said at a press briefing.
”It is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to conduct an investigation into serious allegations published by a newspaper based on information at its disposal — or provided to it by an unidentified person, the details of which it refuses to disclose, when no other reliable evidence is readily available,” Mushwana said.
The DSO denied that such a meeting took place.
He said no reliable evidence in connection with the alleged meeting and what was discussed could be found, and thus the questions of the ANCYL could not be considered.
”It was also not alleged that the DSO acted improperly after the alleged discussions took place and no evidence of the DSO being engaged in any such actions was presented,” Mushwana said. – Sapa