ANC spy questions thwarted

15 April 2016 - 02:50 By Aphiwe Deklerk

Attempts by the ANC to revive the spy saga failed in the Western Cape legislature yesterday. The party fired questions at Premier Helen Zille whom the ANC accuses of spying on colleagues and opposition members.But she simply read replies provided to the house last year.The ANC claimed Zille hired senior police crime intelligence officer Paul Scheepers to do the job.Zille has repeatedly denied the allegations. Last year she explained to the legislature that her government hired Scheepers to debug her cellphone and those of members of her executive. This after she received information that they were being spied on - possibly by the National Intelligence Agency.ANC chief whip Pierre Uys asked what Zille had done about claims that she had been targeted by state security operatives. He further asked whether she was still being spied on and challenged her to provide details.Zille replied: "I refer the honourable member to my reply to this question . on the 26th of November 2015 and to question No2, perhaps the member could provide an answer to that question for me by asking the principals to his own party."When Uys protested, she apologised for "wasting the house's time" and reread the answer that she gave last year."The ANC have become an equivalent of a one-horse town; they are a one-question party. They keep on coming back to the same question over and over again, which makes my life very easy. They are supposed to be exercising oversight in this house but they ask the same question every single time. I have answered the question and I will repeat exactly what I have said before," said Zille...

There’s never been a more important time to support independent media.

From World War 1 to present-day cosmopolitan South Africa and beyond, the Sunday Times has been a pillar in covering the stories that matter to you.

For just R80 you can become a premium member (digital access) and support a publication that has played an important political and social role in South Africa for over a century of Sundays. You can cancel anytime.

Already subscribed? Sign in below.



Questions or problems? Email helpdesk@timeslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00.