Ultimatum after Thuli spy claims

DEPUTY Defence Minister Kebby Maphatsoe has 72 hours to retract his "spy" allegations against public protector Thuli Madonsela, as calls mount for him to be fired.

Comments by Maphatsoe over the weekend that Madonsela was a CIA spy tasked to undermine the ANC and government and create a puppet regime for the US have also sparked a diplomatic row, with the US embassy in South Africa preparing to lodge a formal complaint about his "baseless" utterances.

His comments have also elicited outrage from civil society, religious leaders and opposition parties.

During a media conference yesterday, Maphatsoe failed to substantiate his claims, instead continuing with his attack on Madonsela over her adverse findings on the R246-million security upgrades at President Jacob Zuma's Nkandla homestead.

Maphatsoe, who is also chairman of the Umkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans' Association (MKMVA), is adamant that Madonsela erred and was gunning for Zuma's head.

"She is no longer playing the ball but the person," he said.

"In exile, you would identify a person by his or her action that this one is an enemy agent. Or unaware, a person might be working for the enemy.

"Her [Madonsela's] actions in that office are of undermining any institution ... She thinks she is God."

Maphatsoe said his comments were informed by the manner in which Madonsela handled ANC-related matters.

"We are having parallel government here. Government of Thuli Madonsela which does not respect other institutions.

"We are calling on her to come to her senses and do things in a correct way."

Maphatsoe again labelled Madonsela a spy.

"We are saying that the actions of Thuli Madonsela leave us with no choice but to say those actions are actions of the enemy agents."

In her earlier report, Madonsela found that Zuma had unduly benefited in the security upgrades and should pay back some of the money.

But while the MKVA leadership agrees that too much was spent on the Nkandla upgrades, they say Zuma should not be liable for any payment as he did not request them. Madonsela's office wrote to Maphatsoe yesterday, asking him to provide evidence within 72 hours to back up his spy claims.

"She [Madonsela] also expects Mr Maphatsoe to issue a retraction and public apology within the said period, failing which she will be left with no choice but to invoke the contempt of the public protector powers in terms of Sections 9 and 11 of the Public Protector Act 23 of 1994," spokesman Oupa Segalwe said.

US ambassador to South Africa Patrick Gaspard described the CIA spy allegations as baseless.

"We categorically reject the baseless and offensive accusations from the Dep Min and will lodge complaint through Dip channels," he tweeted.

International Relations and Cooperation spokesman Clayson Monyela said they would wait for the complaint to be lodged and "once it is, we will deal with it in the proper channels".

Political analyst Ralph Mathekga said Maphatsoe's comments lacked appreciation of the delicate diplomatic implications of the matter.

"It is a clear issue of insensitivity of the diplomatic implications. The deputy minister is acting like a student leader," he said.

Mathekga said failure to take action against Maphatsoe could lead to misconceptions.

"If there is no proper action that is taken we will have to believe that he [Maphatsoe] has been delegated to say what he said.

"Judging by the behaviour we've seen, it seems they [some cabinet ministers] are unable to draw the line between the party and the state," Mathekga said.

The SA National Defence Union (Sandu) called for Zuma to fire Maphatsoe.

"His conduct has indisputably brought the Department of Defence and South Africa into disrepute and constitutes a criminal offence," union national secretary Pikkie Greeff said.

The union called for his criminal prosecution for "his wilful and malicious attack" on the office of the public protector.

"Antics like these bear testimony to the innate unfitness of Maphatsoe to serve as a deputy minister," Greeff said.

Presidential spokesman Mac Maharaj declined to comment on Sandu's calls for Maphatsoe to be fired.

The ANC described the exchange of words as extremely unfortunate, and said it was unable to comment.

Several people came to Madonsela's defence yesterday, including the Diakonia Council of Churches which said: "She has carried out this mandate with absolute integrity, and has not whitewashed the findings of the investigation into Nkandla because it is the president who is under scrutiny."

Former National Prosecuting Authority head Vusi Pikoli said: "As a former combatant of Umkhonto weSizwe, I completely disassociate myself from the remarks relating to the public protector by Deputy Minister Maphatsoe. Not in my name."

UDM leader Bantu Holomisa tweeted: "Madonsela on CIA payroll. Old trick of ?#?Zuma camp to divert attention from the issue. Mac Maharaj accused NPA boss Bulelani Ngcuka of being apartheid spy." - Penwell Dlamini and Olebogeng Molatlhwa