Louise Flanagan
THE South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has refused to disclose details of any links between Military Intelligence (MI) and individuals in a private security company accused of running a destabilisation campaign against the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa).
This raises the possibility that MI may still have well-hidden links with other groupings involved in similar activities in a continuation of apartheid-style dirty tricks against pro- gressive groupings despite the change of government.
This week, the SANDF denied that either Investment Surveys or Security Specialists International were ever fronts for MI’s Directorate of Covert Collection (DCC), but would not comment on the individual directors’ previous or current links with
The DCC specialised in running clandestine operations through front companies in order to distance the individuals and activities from the military.
“In accordance with internationally recognised practice, it is not customary to either confirm or deny relationships with either operatives, informers or sources. This would be a breach of the confidentiality which is a crucial element in the intelligence community as it is in the journalistic community,” said the SANDF. “The SANDF, therefore, regrettably cannot confirm or deny the membership of the people mentioned in your fax.”
SANDF spokesman Colonel John Rolt referred to a press conference about the DCC held on June 16 last year in response to press exposure then of DCC activities. “The SANDF has nothing more to add on this subject,” said Rolt.
Last month Investment Surveys was accused of running a destabilisation campaign against Numsa, when documents discussing this campaign were anonymously faxed to the union.
The documents, dated July this year, were on an Investment Surveys letterhead and signed by director and former security policeman Johan du Plooy.
They detailed meetings between the security company and Dorbyl subsidiary Busaf, where Numsa organises, and outlined a clandestine campaign, including illegal activities, which was aimed at smashing the union.
Investment Surveys confirmed the letterheads and signature were genuine but claimed the documents were forged. Dorbyl also denied any involvement. Numsa accepted the denials.
Du Plooy’s co-director, Peter Grant, confirmed working for the DCC in the early 1980s but said he had cut links with the military before setting up Investment Surveys in 1983.
Grant has been linked to fellow former Selous Scout General Ron Reid-Daly, who was part of Security Specialists International for years during the 1980s. This included the period in 1987 when Reid-Daly ran the former Transkei military and participated in the South African Defence Force’s (SADF) Operation Katzen.
Records at the Registrar of Companies show that Investment Surveys moved repeatedly.
Investment Surveys had eight different offices and five different post office boxes between 1983 and early 1991. Letterheads on the disputed documents leaked to Numsa give yet another address for June this year.
Some of the addresses were used after they had apparently been
One move, in May 1984, followed less than two months after an earlier move. The same month the company changed its name from Badenhorst Grant du Plooy and Associates to Investment
The company’s auditors were based in the same offices as Investment Surveys and changed their company’s name twice
No documents have been filed at the Registrar of Companies since early 1991.