SA spy in Zim 'no big deal'

2005-01-17 22:41

Barnabas Thondhlana
and Mandy Rossouw

Johannesburg - The arrest of a South African spy in Zimbabwe will not destabilise the good relationship between the two countries, said African National Congress secretary-general Kgalema Motlanthe on Monday.

Motlanthe said the problem would be "resolved quickly".

"The situation was not discussed at the national executive council's lekgotla at the weekend because it is something that does not really affect us," he said.

"Accidents happen. In the intelligence world, we have mutual understanding for each country's need for information regarding their own goals and we often share information and exchange notes about specific situations," he said.

Motlanthe added that concerned ministers from both countries would meet and resolve the situation as quickly as possible.

He said the relationship between the two countries was as strong as always and that South Africa could handle the situation.

'Nothing to worry about'

There was no enmity and an intelligence officer was simply doing his work, he said.

"We definitely don't have anything to worry about," he said.

Meanwhile, it has been reported that the Zanu-PF MP who claimed to have sold state secrets to the spy was tortured in prison.

Family members of Philip Chiyangwa, Zanu-PF leader for Mashonaland West, and a relative of President Robert Mugabe, made the claims during a fleeting court appearance in Harare last week.

According to affidavits, Chiyangwa initially was paid about US$4 000 (R24 000) a month to pass on "information on the presidency, the economy and politics".

This was later increased to US$10 000 (R60 000) a month.

The state-controlled Herald newspaper reported that the information was faxed to South Africa.

However, the Zimbabwean intelligence agency (CIO) uncovered the espionage.

Chiyangwa was arrested in December amid claims by the government that the information he passed on to a 48-year-old South African secret service agent had been destined for the Israeli and British intelligence services.

The South African was also arrested in early December.

He is accused of having been the handler for Chiyangwa and four other Zimbabweans.

Beleaguered speaker

The man is being held by the CIO and is facing espionage charges.

The four other accused are Godfrey Dzvairo, ambassador-designate to Mozambique, Kennedy Karidza, Zanu-PF security director, Tendai Matambanadzo of Metropolitan Bank, and Itai Marchi, the ruling party's director of external affairs.

Sources within Zanu-PF say the CIO has been told to use "whatever means" to determine the political future of zimbabwe's beleaguered speaker, Emmerson Mnangagwa.

- Beeld