The use of SSA funds for ANC factional politics represents one of the clearest cases of state resources being weaponised for party-political purposes — a direct violation of the Constitution's requirement that intelligence services serve the nation, not a political faction.
**The Evidence**
Two key witnesses provided direct testimony to the Zondo Commission:
**Acting DG Loyiso Jafta** testified in January 2021 that money "left the agency for the purposes of funding political activity principally within the ANC, and intended to undermine the credibility of those who were not in the faction within the ANC." This was a serving (acting) Director-General of the SSA explicitly confirming that intelligence funds were diverted for ANC internal politics.
**Inspector-General Setlhomamaru Dintwe** confirmed that money stolen from SSA "was used to fund a political campaign by factions in the ANC." The IGI, the statutory oversight body, independently corroborated the diversion of funds for political purposes.
**The Political Context: 2017 ANC Presidential Race**
The SSA's political operations intensified in the lead-up to the December 2017 ANC elective conference where Cyril Ramaphosa challenged Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma for the party presidency. SSA resources were deployed against the Ramaphosa faction — using state intelligence capabilities funded by all South African taxpayers to influence an internal party election.
**Payments to MK Military Veterans Association**
SSA funds were channelled to the MK Military Veterans Association, an organisation linked to the pro-Zuma faction within the ANC. These payments were documented in Zondo Commission testimony alongside the regular cash payments to Minister Mahlobo.
**Enhancing ANC Electoral Fortunes**
Beyond internal factional battles, testimony indicated SSA funds were also used to enhance the electoral fortunes of the ANC as a party — using state resources for party-political purposes. This conflation of party and state interests mirrors the broader pattern of state capture: the ANC under Zuma treated state institutions as extensions of the party.
**The Constitutional Violation**
Section 199(7) of the Constitution states: "Neither the security services, nor any member of a security service, may, in the performance of their functions, prejudice a political party interest that is legitimate in terms of the Constitution; or further, in a partisan manner, any interest of a political party." The use of SSA funds for ANC factional politics was a direct violation of this constitutional requirement.