So, there is certainly no doubt that the recently published reports on the Phala Phala Farm scandal of the president have not only thrown the pigeons amongst the cats but have sharpened political contradictions and deepened the crisis in respect of the political factions within the liberation movement, especially towards and ahead of the elective conference in December 2022.

Whilst the scandal is in itself deeply concerning and embarrassing for a sitting President, especially one who has postured himself as a corruption buster, committed to renewal and cleaning of the organisation, there is more to the story that is troubling and concerning.

It is the mechanism and modus in the revelation that is even more concerning.

The source, reasons, and timing of the exposé leaves much to be desired

Unless one is firmly entrenched deep in the factions within the movement, and unless one is unrelenting in their belief that the president is guilty of corruption and money laundering, one would not be able to see beyond this matter. That there is more to it than what meets the eye here. That there is something fishy, dishonourable and disingenuous with the source and motives for the revelations. Why didn’t he allow the investigators to do their work before engaging the public?

That however does not necessarily make the allegations less concerning.

It is however critical to understand and look at the individual’s actions specifically within the context of such divisions in the organisation. That is why, the internal faction and machinery of the organisation who is aligned with the other forces within the organisation, was the first to shower praises of excellence on this comrade once the scandal broke.

They also called upon the Public Protector to initiate an investigation of the circumstances surrounding the money. The biggest concern, however, is that this individual is not just an ordinary South African like me and you. He is the former Head of the Security Services Agency and is, for all intent and purposes bound by the oath of secrecy that comes with the responsibility to head such an institution.

What this means is that notwithstanding the intentions (no matter how noble) - which we know by now are not, this comrade used his access and proximity to secret services of the country to conduct surveillance and embarrass and expose a sitting President. It is so glaring that amid recent findings by the State Capture Commission in which he is fingered for looting whilst at the SSA these revelations are made. If for a moment we were to give this comrade the benefit of the doubt, and assume that he acted as a member of our beloved movement, one wonders why he didn't use the organisation’s internal structures such as the integrity commission to ventilate his grievance.

Or is he one of those, whom we are told will destroy the organisation from within?

The presidency of the country is not only the highest office in the land, but it is also at all relevant and material times, the biggest client of the secret security services and the men and women appointed there serve at the pleasure of the number one citizen. Contravention of such an oath of office is tantamount to espionage and treason.

Whilst applauding the accountability that will ensure consequent to the revelation of this scandal - the public deserves answers and information about the existence of such sums of cash by their number one public representative - we should however be extremely worried that privileged and classified information of the country held in secret can easily be used to pursue and further political factional differences within the ruling party.

Some have gone on to suggest that in acting in a manner that he has, this comrade has a fight-back and has an apple to peel with the current administration given how he may feel he was treated when the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services did not renew/extend his contract as the head of the Correctional Services.

That notwithstanding, the use of access to state secrets and information for the pursuance of political ends is no ground for justifications. Other comrades were also unhappy with how new political principals and heads of state have handled their contractual matters before. But none made use of their access and proximity to state secrets to sharpen factional and political contradictions.

This is because the oath of secrecy that comes with that office binds current and resigned intelligence officers who come across public and private confidential information arising from the course of their employment. That is why the actions of this comrade are, by any stretch of imagination, are extremely unfortunate and unforgivable.

Having regard to these key issues, it is clear that this’s comrade’s motivation in reporting the so-called criminal activity in the Phala Phala Farm has no good public interest, but is aligned to the factional battles in the organisation and is it intended to embarrass the prospects of the President’s re-election in the ANC elective conference.

Importantly, the this comrade took for granted the significant impact of his utterances and actions on South Africa’s constitutional democracy, which was hard earned through sweat and blood. Internationally, he has placed the country’s reputation and image at a significant risk which global media houses covering the story and generating negative sentiment for investors who continue to entrust South Africa with their business and investments. Having raised over R1.2-trillion worth of investments through the South African Investment Conference over the past five years, our country cannot afford to compromise those gains at the hands of factional opportunists who will do everything in their power to divide the organisation and advance their political ambitions.

All the body of evidence so far points to this eventuality. It is indeed going to be a hectic next six months towards Nasrec. We cannot afford to allow factionalists and constitutional delinquents to determine our future and thereby compromise our hard earned gains.

God bless the Republic of South Africa and her people.

Written by Thandi Tobias, the former NEC member of the ANC and former Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Republic of South Africa from 2009 – 2014. She is currently the Chairperson of Brand South Africa. She writes in her personal capacity.