The weaponisation of intelligence in SA politics

THE recent revelation by former uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) secretary-general Floyd Shivambu, who claims he was sacked on the basis of a fake intelligence report, is neither new nor surprising in the context of South Africa’s post-apartheid political landscape.

- NCO DUBE

Instead, it is the latest in a long line of controversies where unverified intelligence reports have been deployed as weapons in intra-party feuds, factional battles, and the broader contest for power, often with former president Jacob Zuma at the centre.

The use of intelligence reports — real, doctored, or entirely fabricated — as tools for political ends is deeply embedded in our recent history. The so-called “Browse Mole Report” is a prime example: a controversial document that allegedly implicated various political figures and was used as justification for decisive political actions, despite its questionable provenance.

Throughout Zuma’s presidency and beyond, a series of unverified intelligence reports have surfaced, each conveniently appearing at moments of heightened political tension, often to the detriment of Zuma’s rivals or critics.

These reports have not only been used to discredit opponents but have also served as pretexts for removals, suspensions, and even criminal investigations. The pattern is clear: intelligence, or at least the suggestion of it, becomes a bludgeon in the hands of those seeking to manipulate outcomes within the ANC (or its offshoots like the EFF and the MKP) and the state at large.

Another one of the most infamous cases was the so-called “Operation Check Mate” intelligence report. In March 2017, then-President Jacob Zuma abruptly instructed Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan to cancel an international investor roadshow and return to South Africa.

The only explanation offered was an “intelligence report” alleging that Gordhan was plotting with foreign interests in the UK and the US to overthrow the state. The report's existence and authenticity were never substantiated, and it was widely dismissed as a fabrication designed to justify Gordhan’s removal and facilitate a cabinet reshuffle.