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Cops silent on Zuma plot claim
11/05/2007 12:10 - (SA)
Johannesburg - The police and office of African National Congress deputy president Jacob Zuma were silent on Friday on reports of plots to assassinate and poison him.
The Mail and Guardian reported that a sniper was offered R1m to assassinate Zuma at a Durban rally in 2004, but did not because he didn't arrive as arranged.
However, it was feared this plot could still be carried out ahead of the ANC conference in December, when the party's presidential leadership race would be decided. Two police teams were apparently investigating.
It was also feared that killers planned to lace Zuma's clothing with poison when it was dry-cleaned after failed attempts to poison his food, the newspaper reported.
"No comment," said Director Sally de Beer, spokesperson for National Police Commissioner Jackie Selebi, when asked to respond to the claims.
Six-vehicle cavalcade
From Zuma's side, the view was that "this is a security matter and should be dealt with by the police," said his aide Ranjeni Munusamy, adding there was no comment from his office.
The police also refused to comment on the claim that Zuma has more than 20 bodyguards and other staff - appointed by him, but paid for by the State - who travel with him in a six-vehicle cavalcade.
Senior Superintendent Vish Naidoo cited "security reasons" for not revealing the size of Zuma's protection detail, or whether he had appointed his bodyguards himself.
In reply to a parliamentary question by the Democratic Alliance (DA) in 2005, Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula said the Protective Security Policy provided for minimum security packages for various categories of protected people.
"However a comprehensive threat assessment of a protectee may dictate a need for the increase or decrease of the package provided by the (SA Police Service).
"We do not give details of the size of any of the protection units as that could compromise the security of the VIP under protection," he said.
The DA questioned Zuma's right to protection in 2005, four months after he was axed as deputy president when his bodyguards became aggressive during a Scorpions search at his Johannesburg home.
Only former presidents were, by law, entitled to VIP protection with others protected at Nqakula's discretion, it said.
The DA acknowledged that an argument could be made for Zuma's need for protection, but suggested that the ANC and not the state be responsible for the estimated cost of R1 231 959 a year in personnel alone.
It asked the government to indicate how long it intended protecting Zuma as the taxpayer "should not have to foot the bill indefinitely".
- SAPA
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