JSCI must investigate Marikana ‘deep cover’ agent
31 May 2016
Recent reports that former Lonmin PIC human resources head, Barnard Mokwena, was on the State Security Agency’s (SSA) payroll as a ‘deep cover’ agent at the time of the Marikana massacre are cause for serious concern and require further investigation.
According to the City Press, Mokwena, who was one of the now infamous mine’s executive chorus that called for concomitant action and refused to negotiate with miners during the 2012 strike, was listed as a paid ‘deep cover’ agent on the SSA’s central source index from 2004 until at least the end of 2012.
Considering the severity of these claims as well as the potential conflict of interests and implications for the integrity of our state security apparatuses they raise, Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence (JSCI) must urgently investigate this matter and determine any misconduct on the SSA’s part.
I will write to the new JSCI Chairperson, Charles Nqakula, and request that he:
- schedule an urgent briefing by the Minister of State Security, David Mahlobo, on this matter; and
- prepare a special report, in terms of Section 6 (2) of the Intelligence Oversight Act (No. 40 of 1994), to be tabled in Parliament.
The horrific events that transpired at Marikana were unprecedented in our democratic dispensation. The alleged collusion between Lonmin and the SSA if true, is a deeply disturbing revelation and further proof that Parliament needs to prioritise the appointment of the next Inspector-General of Intelligence.
Issued by John Steenhuisen, Chief Whip of the DA, 31 May 2016
