Publications
Partners
The Democratic Alliance is determined to get answers about the status of a top-secret investigation into Project Spider Web, which was a sinister intelligence dossier circulated 18 months ago that was widely criticised for attempting to smear top officials in the treasury.
In the latest correspondence this week, State Security Minister David Mahlobo responds to the DA’s David Maynier that he had submitted a response to Maynier’s previous questions about the investigation to parliament’ Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence for tabling on November 14.
But Maynier is not satisfied with the latest reply, saying that it remains unclear whether the reply was actually tabled by the committee, which meets behind closed doors.
“My hypothesis is that Project Spider Web – and all information relevant to it – has been buried in the joint standing committee. Therefore I will communicate with the chairperson of the committee, Charles Nqakula, to satisfy myself that the reply has in fact been tabled and deliberated upon. It is vital to get on top of Project Spider Web and its attack on Treasury,” said Maynier.
In earlier correspondence with the DA, Mahlobo confirmed that he had received a request to investigate the anonymous dossier in July 2015, and that the matter was under investigation. “However, as a matter of policy the State Security Agency does not comment on the details of ongoing intelligence operations,” he replied.
When the dossier first surfaced in August 2015, treasury dismissed Project Spider Web saying that it was “baseless and vexatious”.
Then finance minister Nhlanhla Nene expressed concern about the intent of the report, which appeared to be target and undermine the integrity of treasury – a scenario that has gained momentum since Nene was sacked as finance minister by President Jacob Zuma.
The fantastical dossier alleges that in the dying days of apartheid, national intelligence and the white establishment – bankrolled by the Oppenheimers, Rothschilds and Ruperts – conspired in a complex covert operation to retain control of the country’s finances.
Former finance minister Trevor Manuel and Barclays Africa Group chief executive and former treasury director-general Maria Ramos – who is married to Manuel – are named in the report, as well as senior treasury officials.
Nqakula had not responded to requests for comment at the time of filing this report.
 |
| ||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
