Former spy boss to reveal secrets of 'presidents, politicians and judges' at Zondo commission

Former State Security Agency director-general Arthur Fraser says he will divulge secrets related to “presidents, judges and parliamentarians” at the state capture inquiry.

This would entail breaching his oath not to reveal state secrets, his legal counsel Muzi Sikhakhane SC told commission chair deputy judge president Raymond Zondo.

Fraser has previously been implicated in fraud and corruption at the agency.

Fraser had a “duty to come clean and tell the country who was responsible for this state capture project that has destroyed the country”, the Congress of the People said on Tuesday. “Mr Fraser cannot hide behind the oath of secrecy that he took,” said party spokesperson Dennis Bloem.

“Three of his former senior colleagues, Mr Mzuvukile Maqetuke, Mo Shaik and Gibson Njenje, appeared before the commission and gave evidence and they never contravened any law. They told the commission about what went wrong in the country and who is responsible for the mess we are sitting in.

“The threat of Mr Fraser to expose presidents, judges and parliamentarians must be welcomed. It will be in the best interest of the country.”

Sikhakhane told the commission on Monday that Fraser had effectively been accused of “treason” and would have to respond with his own evidence, Times Select reported on Tuesday.

“Mr Fraser would have liked to die with the secrets he would now have to disclose to this commission,” Sikhakhane said, adding that Fraser would have to divulge secrets that related to presidents, judges and parliamentarians.

“I have advised him not to. Mr Fraser and Mr Manzini come here reluctantly to breach an oath they took that they would die with the secrets of the state,” he said.

Manala Manzini is the former director-general in the National Intelligence Agency (NIA). Sikhakhane is also representing him.

Sikhakhane said he assumed his clients were indemnified from breaching that oath.

Zondo said he did not think he had the power to indemnify someone from prosecution.