Julius Malema's "intelligence document" was compiled by a former Sars employee - who is facing criminal charges but insists he was part of a sting operation. In an interview with the media following revelations of his business interests, Malema said he was in possession of a document listing the names of prominent political leaders who backed President Jacob Zuma's rise to power and were targeted for lifestyle audits. "I will make (the document) public, we just took it to the police to verify it," Malema told SAfm. He later told Metro FM last night that he would take the document to Zuma. "We received a document delivered in my office by anonymous fellows ... which has a long list of our names. There were instructions to people in Sars to investigate (me and) ... (deputy police minister) Fikile Mbalula and (Zuma's spokesman), Zizi Kodwa," he said.
Mbalula could not be reached, but Kodwa said even though he had not seen the document, he was aware of it. Although a cabinet minister anonymously told The Star last night that the document was "handled at the highest level", Ministry of State Security spokesman Brian Dube said Minister Siyabonga Cwele "does not know what Malema is talking about". Malema told e.tv that the document was compiled by "very senior people in Sars, very senior management, some of them in cabinet today" - a tacit reference to former Sars commissioner and Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan. Coincidentally, Gordhan called for lifestyle audits in his budget speech last week.
The Star was approached last year by a former Sars employee, Michael Peega, who claimed he was part of a secret intelligence unit in the revenue service established by Gordhan. The Pretoria-based Peega, 34, said Malema was referring to his document. Malema's spokesman, Floyd Shivambu, said they were yet to release the document, but refused to confirm that this was the same Peega report. Peega said part of their brief was to investigate the lifestyles and tax status of senior Zuma supporters. This was during 2007, when the ANC's succession battle reached its apex. Others on Peega's list included national police commissioner Bheki Cele. Cele, through his spokeswoman Nonkululeko Mbatha, said last year that he was aware of the document but had decided to treat it "as rumour". However, Peega was fired by Sars for allegedly getting involved in rhino poaching and is facing criminal charges. He claimed he was part of a sting operation, a claim denied by Sars. The revenue service fired him after he was arrested following an internal disciplinary hearing.
At that time, The Star could not establish the veracity of Peega's claims or Sars's denial. Contacted yesterday, Peega said he stood by the document. "I am not backing off. That's why I want (Sars) to confront me in public to say that this document is not authentic. I am 200 percent behind it," Peega said. Asked about the criminal charges, he said: "The case has not gone to trial, there have been postponements... I maintain what I told you, that (I was part of a sting operation)." Peega said they were given fake IDs to operate and place suspects under surveillance.
Peega, who was initially with the military's special forces, said other recruits in his units included former members of the defunct Scorpions and police. Sars's senior managers at the time dismissed Peega as a disgruntled employee and said the so-called intelligence unit was a legitimate department dealing with organised crime. The taxman showed The Star documents to illustrate that the unit was legitimate, audited and accounted for. Sars said at the time there was a different unit that conducted routine lifestyle audits, and not Peega's department.
Sars spokesman Adrian Lackay told The Star last night: "Sars has a proud record of integrity and applies the law with fairness, with impartiality, and equally to the affairs of all taxpayers."
Source: IoL
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