Civil society calls on Zondo commission to reveal spy documentation
Right2Know and Greenpeace Africa have called on the commission of inquiry into state capture to make public documentation on abuses by the State Security Agency (SSA).
This comes after the former Safety and Security Minister Sydney Mufamadi and a witness known only as “Miss K'' revealed at the commission that the unit spied on civil society organisations, unions, student movements and journalists.
Right2Know Campaign and Greenpeace Africa were amongst civil society organisations that were spied on.
Greenpeace Africa's Melita Steele said the two organisations demand that those who are or were involved in these gross abuses of power to be named.
"A rogue State Security Agency that acts without any accountability to the people of South Africa is a threat to democracy of our country and must be dealt with accordingly.
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"We demand full transparency from the State Security Agency around the extent of the spying on and infiltration of civil society organisations, we believe that the Zondo commission can help us create that transparency.
"We also believe that those involved must be investigated and held responsible and ultimately that there is a need for transformation of the State Security Agency itself," said Steele.
Professor Jane Duncan from the University of Johannesburg believes the Secret Service Act need to be repealed since it is completely open to abuse.
"It dates back to the days of BOSS [South African Bureau for State Security] and the abuses against the abuses against the liberation movements under the apartheid regime - it was designed with abuse in mind.”
