New details of former minister David Mahlobo's probe into claims that former president Jacob Zuma was poisoned by his estranged wife, Nompumelelo MaNtuli-Zuma — which included assembling a team of 40 State Security Agency (SSA) agents — prove there was no attempt to kill him, says her lawyer.
A detailed affidavit filed with the Zondo commission by a Mr Y — which was recently made public — describes how SSA resources were abused in the name of investigating the alleged poisoning.
Dubbed Project Tin Roof, the team spent R800,000 a month on leasing safe houses and expensive vehicles for surveillance, and on security services.
The team is said to have made an arrest but the National Prosecuting Authority refused to prosecute. It was claimed that the main suspect fled the country.
MaNtuli-Zuma was allegedly taken into custody by the team after she was driven out of Zuma's Nkandla compound, an act that Mr Y said violated her civil rights.
Lawyer Ulrich Roux, who represents MaNtuli-Zuma, said Mr Y's evidence vindicates his client.
“This proves exactly what we said, which is that there was never any evidence to show that my client was involved in a plot to kill Jacob Zuma. It was a whole load of nonsense. It was concocted by Mahlobo for some other strategic reason, who knows what.
“She was accused of attempted murder and I successfully had the charges withdrawn. There was no evidence to substantiate the charges.
“This was some strategic way of Zuma trying to show that there are evil forces at play. But look at leaders like Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Joseph Stalin — they all at some stage thought that there was some conspiracy to have them murdered. They all lost the plot a little bit.”
Roux said maNtuli-Zuma denied the allegations from the outset.
“She said she had never been involved or contacted by anyone to do anything illegal. She was requested to depose an affidavit, which she did, and the investigation lasted for about three years, but ultimately the right decision was made to withdraw the charges because there was no evidence.”
Roux says Project Tin Roof proves that there was gross misuse of state funds and power.
“It was only during Jacob Zuma’s era that there was a state security minister. That ministerial position was done away with when he was no longer president because there is simply no need for it and he was using the SSA as his own security force and enforcement agency.”
Look at leaders like Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Joseph Stalin — they all at some stage thought that there was some conspiracy to have them murdered
— MaNtuli-Zuma's lawyer Ulrich Roux
Roux said the only avenue open to maNtuli-Zuma for redress would be a civil claim for malicious prosecution and reputational damage.
“The thing is she was never arrested and never formerly prosecuted, she was just named as a suspect in the matter. She has not indicated that she wants to pursue the matter further,” said Roux.
Mahlobo declined to comment.
Mr Y's affidavit reads: “It is alleged that investigations were conducted and some arrests were even effected, but the main perpetrator is alleged to have fled the country.
“Project Tin Roof entailed an overreach of the SSA's duly authorised mandate. The SSA does not have powers to detain and, in doing so, the Chief Directorate: Special Operations (CDSO) violated the civil rights of a citizen under the pretext of 'national interest' and without having to account for its actions.”
Contacted for comment, Jacob Zuma Foundation spokesperson Mzwanele Manyi referred the Sunday Times to the SSA.
“The SSA is an institution that is timeless and it still exists today. I am not a spokesperson for SSA and president Jacob Zuma is not a lifetime president. I think if you want to know about issues that happened at SSA you should direct your query to them.”
— Additional reporting by Mawande Amashabalala
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