SSA: Monies were used to fuel political tensions and fund ANC faction, Zondo Commission hears

• The Inspector-General of Intelligence (IGI) has detailed how monies within the institution were used "for other things".
• Some examples include allegedly fuelling political tensions, funding a faction of the governing party and terrorism.
• The IGI confirmed money was stolen, taken in suitcases and lost with no one held accountable.

The Zondo Commission has heard how money was allegedly stolen from the State Security Agency (SSA), with no one held accountable.

SSA Inspector-General of Intelligence (IGI) Setlhomamaru Dintwe was back at the commission on Wednesday to give evidence relating to the use and flow of money within the intelligence services and his findings.

"What I can confirm is that money has been stolen, and we [are] talking lots and lots of money, taken with suitcases, others being lost, and people were never really held accountable for that money," Dintwe told the commission.

"There is evidence in our possession that some of those monies were used to finance a particular faction within the governing party, and in other jurisdictions, you find that some of these monies can be used also to finance terrorism," Dintwe told the commission.

The commission previously heard from an unidentified witness how SSA funds were allegedly abused.

In addition, the commission previously heard how millions were set aside for alleged monthly payments to former president Jacob Zuma between 2015 and 2017, the last two years of his term in office.

It also heard how funds were used to deal with bad publicity about South Africa, Zuma, and the agency itself by infiltrating and influencing the media, News24 previously reported.

The intelligence watchdog added "managers tend to misconstrue secrecy and the permission to use cash to mean that there is no accountability".

"There must be an authority somewhere where you go and account," he said.