Jaspreet Kindra
The four men at the centre of the alleged “plot” to overthrow President Thabo Mbeki were not questioned at any stage of the South African Police Service (SAPS) investigation, it emerged this week.
This strengthens suspicions that the allegations were never taken seriously, but were rather a political move to head off perceived challenges to Mbeki’s leadership.
On the strength of the police report, Minister of Safety and Security Steve Tshwete apologised to former African National Congress secretary general Cyril Ramaphosa, former Gauteng premier Tokyo Sexwale and former Mpumalanga premier Mathews Phosa for naming them in April this year as alleged co-conspirators in a plot against Mbeki.
Former ANC Youth League leader James Nkambule was identified by Tshwete as the source of the allegations.
Three of the individuals at the heart of the allegations Nkambule, Ramaphosa and Sexwale confirmed this week that they had not been questioned by the police. Phosa has in the past confirmed that he was not questioned.
Tshwete said investigations into the allegations had exonerated the three ANC leaders and he apologised for having made their names public. All three ANC leaders have welcomed and accepted the apology.
“This whole investigation was a farce from the start,” said Nkambule. He said that since he had filed seven affidavits with the police in April, he had not been approached for additional information or supporting evidence.
The police neither confirmed nor denied that the four men had not been questioned. Responding to a query on what the investigation entailed, SAPS spokesperson Joseph Ngobeni said: “It is not policy to give an account of every step taken during investigation.”
He referred the Mail & Guardian to Tshwete’s statement that the “police were under strict instructions to do a thorough job to establish the authenticity or otherwise of the allegations”, and that he was convinced the investigations were thorough.
In interviews earlier this year, Nkambule claimed the plot was masterminded by Phosa. In his affidavits he claimed that Phosa, through an extensive disinformation campaign, was attempting to discredit Mbeki.
The alleged disinformation campaign involved planting stories alleging Mbeki played a role in the assassination of former South African Communist Party leader Chris Hani and referring to the president’s alleged “womanising ways”. Senior ANC office bearers and Phosa dismissed Nkambule’s claims as “nonsensical.”
Immediately after the police investigation was announced, Nkambule told the M&G that Phosa had never spoken about causing physical harm to Mbeki. Yet Tshwete justified the police investigation on the basis that Mbeki’s “physical security” might be under threat.
The plot allegations emerged at a time when Mbeki clearly felt insecure in his position. At about the same time, Deputy President Jacob Zuma issued a statement to baffled South Africans denying that he had presidential ambitions. Zuma said: “We have been aware of some elements in various guises, who have been trying to isolate the president by creating the impression that some of his trusted comrades are plotting against him.”
The party’s national executive in March dealt extensively with “whispering campaigns” and “anonymous pamphlets” aimed at undermining Mbeki.
Nkambule this week claimed to have tape recordings of meetings with Phosa, where he said Phosa spoke about the plot. He said he was never asked to provide the recordings, adding that he would stand by his allegations against Phosa “until the day I die”.
Ngobeni said the police will consider appropriate steps against anyone, including Nkambule, who may have deliberately furnished false information under oath.
Mbeki’s spokesperson Bheki Khumalo said no action would be taken against Tshwete for naming the three former ANC leaders in public now that the allegations had been found to be baseless. Tshwete was merely doing his job, he said.
In his report this week, Tshwete announced that the SAPS was investigating allegations pertaining to the involvement of a “certain prominent person in the murder of a number of people”; the defrauding of the government and corruption, especially in Mpumalanga; and allegations “aimed at discrediting the president, inter alia by trying to create an impression that he was somehow linked” to Hani’s assassination.
The SAPS would not divulge details of the other investigations, saying the matter was sub judice.