SA 'spy' allegedly sold our secrets to Angola and 5 other highlights from 'Vrye Weekblad'

A mercenary and alleged South African spy who was a member of the feared 32 Battalion as well as military intelligence of the old SA Army has allegedly sold stacks of classified documents for millions of rand to Angola's former head of intelligence, an Angolan court has heard.

If these documents were to fall into the wrong hands, it could likely damage relations between the two countries. 

It is the first time that a South African has been publicly revealed to be an alleged spy for Angola. 

Read all about it in this week's edition of Afrikaans digital weekly Vrye Weekblad.

These bizarre allegations were made in the trial against António José Maria, the feared and formerly powerful head of the Angolese army and confidant of former president José Eduardo dos Santos.

“Zé” Maria, as he is known in Angola, is widely hated and ran the country's military intelligence unit from 2009 to 2017, when he was fired by the new president, João Manuel Goncalves Lourenço.

José Maria is charged with insubordination, the disappearing of military documents and unbecoming behaviour. 

Dos Santos and Lourenço, as well as the old and new heads of intelligence, are locked in a fierce battle for power in Angola. 

The documents that were allegedly sold include landmine maps, details of military equipment, information about the battles in the 1980s around Cuito Cuanavale and documents that were submitted to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. 

The prosecutor in the case has told the court that the documents have been sold by one Manuel Vicente da Cruz Gaspar to José Maria. 

The full article is in this week's Vrye Weekblad:

5 other must-read articles in this week's Vrye Weekblad

>> Browse the full September 27 edition

WHAT NEXT FOR THE EFF? | There would most likely be very little left of the EFF if Julius Malema and Floyd Shivambu went to jail, writes Max du Preez.  

FREE TO READ — HOW AFRICAN ARE YOU? | Piet Croucamp argues that you can't be an African just because you feel like it. 

FREE TO READ — VOËLVRY | Thirty years later we are still rocking on. 

THE BETTE MIDLER OF SA POLITICS | IFP MP Liezl van der Merwe talks about her 13 years in politics. 

ZUMA'S SHADOW | A disputed transaction worth R250 million to deliver Casspirs to Chad was brokered by a “good friend” of Jacob Zuma.