IGI must take steps to gain access to the “intelligence report” allegedly used to fire Pravin Gordhan

6 September 2017

Several months ago, I requested the Inspector-General of Intelligence, Dr Isaac Dintwe, investigate the allegations surrounding the bizarre “intelligence report”, which was allegedly used as a pretext by President Jacob Zuma to fire the former Minister of Finance, Pravin Gordhan, during the “midnight cabinet reshuffle", on 31 March 2017.

Today, I received a letter from him informing me that:

-“the investigation is on-going in that we are currently consulting persons named in the so-called “intelligence report”."

The fact that the investigation into the allegation surrounding the bizarre “intelligence report” is ongoing is good news.

However, he goes on to state that:

-“we are still not in possession of the said report and are hopeful that the current High Court case regarding the mentioned ‘records’ brought by yourselves will assist in the investigation and await that process”.

What this suggests is that the Office of Inspector-General for Intelligence is relying on the case, contending that President Jacob Zuma’s decision to dismiss Pravin Gordhan was unconstitutional, unlawful and invalid, which is being pursued by the Democratic Alliance[Democratic Alliance versus President of the Republic of South Africa (Case No. 24396/2017)], and which is currently the subject of an appeal in the Supreme Court of Appeal, to gain access to the “intelligence report”.

We cannot allow the Inspector-General of Intelligence, Dr Isaac Dintwe, to abdicate his responsibility to try and independently gain access to the “intelligence report”, and I will therefore be writing him to clarify what steps he is taking, or he has taken, to independently gain access to the “intelligence report”, which is vital to the investigation.

Issued by David Maynier, DA Shadow Minister of Finance, 6 September 2017