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The Democratic Alliance has called on President Jacob Zuma to put State Security Minister David Mahlobo on “special leave” following the documentary by Al Jazeera’s news channel that exposes Mahlobo’s involvement with Chinese crime figure Guan Jiang Guang.
“Clearly, Mahlobo cannot continue in his current position and must be put on special leave to avoid manipulation of this crucial investigation,” DA MP John Steenhuisen said.
Steenhuisen said that the “dwindling integrity of our intelligence services is at stake” and that the DA calls on the president to show “decisive leadership in removing Mahlobo until such time as his relationship with Guan is thoroughly probed”.
Yesterday the was aired at 2pm.
In an undercover investigation conducted by Al Jazeera, a video shows Guan – who traffics rhino horns and openly brags about bribing South African justice and immigration officials – swiping through his phone showing photographs of him and Mahlobo.
“He came to my massage parlour every week, or at least twice a month,” Guan says about Mahlobo. “I know him well … [He was] a guest at my home.”
The businessman owns a massage parlour in Mbombela.
In response to these allegations, department spokesperson Brian Dube has denied these claims saying that the allegations were unfounded and slanderous.
“The minister refutes these ludicrous allegations with all the contempt that they deserve and reserves his rights in respect of those making such false claims. Additionally, he strongly rebukes Al Jazeera and other local publications and broadcasters that reported on the story in the sensation seeking, unprofessional and reckless manner,” Dube said.
Referring to the photo of Guan and the minister which was screened in the documentary, Dube said that it was taken after Guan had requested the photo. “Minister Mahlobo is not a friend of Mr Guan and has never visited him at his residence. The photo that appeared on Al Jazeera and in the Sunday papers is a photo taken when the Minister was being treated at a manicure table and Guan requested a photo to be taken. This is clear from the photo itself.”
Guan alleges that he met Mahlobo when he was head of the department of cooperative governance and traditional affairs in Mpumalanga.
In 2014, Mahlobo replaced Siyabonga Cwele as minister of state security.
The minister said that in the past a number of his friends, family and colleagues had visited the spa and taken photos with Guan family and staff.
“Are these individuals now also involved in the illegal rhino trade? People drop names of high profile individuals and take photos – does this mean friendship or connection? I don’t think so,” Mahlobo said.
Mahlobo said that the allegations brought forward against him are “tantamount to defamation”.
Subsequent to the airing of the documentary the minister has requested that the Mpumalanga police commissioner immediately investigate all allegations made against him in the documentary and for action to be taken against Guan for illegal rhino poaching activity.
Mahlobo has engaged a legal team to investigate possible defamation action against Al Jazeera, the publications, Guan and Morgan for defamation and the reputational damage that this documentary and the articles have caused.
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