Spooks target intelligence minister

Knives are out for Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni after an intelligence report accused her of abusing state resources to “further political and personal ambitions”.

- By Mzilikazi wa Afrika and Setumo Stone

The report, seen by Sunday World, claims Ntshavheni initiated a covert operation called Sibonkolo to “monitor and smear the current deputy president” Paul Mashatile, but its framework has since been expanded to target nine other senior ANC politicians as “she has ambitions to become one of the ANC top six.”

But the report doesn’t state what position she has her eyes on.

Ntshavheni's confidantes and sympathisers yesterday dismissed the report as hogwash and information peddling by rogue elements within the State Security Agency (SSA), which falls under her purview.

"Despite the attempts to discredit her, she is continuing with the voluntary severance packages for SSA members who are over the age of 50.

"In a parliamentary reply, she mentioned the introduction of a panel to deal with malfeasance starting at the earliest next month,” said a source, adding that Ntshavheni’s shake-up of the SSA has earned her enemies.

A skills audit at the SSA showed that the agency had an aging workforce, particularly in leadership roles, which affected future planning.