An obscure group of security personnel is embedded in Prasa, with influence over the agency’s huge security budget – and more. Who put them there and why?
under Zuma, was accused of trying, unsuccessfully, to halt the search.
Rhoode also brought in Fredericks and another ex-MK comrade, whose LinkedIn profile shows he too spent time working for Resurgent, the private intelligence company established by Fraser in 2010 during his stint outside the SSA. Resurgent seemed both politically embedded and contentious: in May 2017 it launched a R20-million claim against the ANC for payment for “election support and strategic services” in the run-up to the 2014 elections.
The appointments were highly unusual and Prasa’s majority union, the United National Transport Union , demanded answers about the appointment process. In response, National Treasury had approved a budget shift of R900-million to take care of protecting Prasa assets in the short term – and the new security team seems to have been brought in to implementamaBhungane was told that Prasa executives were introduced to Fredericks and Papadopulo in about mid-October 2020 as people being brought on board allegedly “on a request of a shareholder”, meaning Mbalula.
That same December, Fredericks was already being included in emails and the new security plan was already slated to include the portentously named People’s Responsibility to Protect Project . Meanwhile at the NPA, Joubert was facing a new round of disciplinary charges, relating to a 2019 incident in which an envelope of R30,000 in cash was allegedly dropped in his car by a relative of Craig Ponnan, an accused in a tender fraud case involving former Durban mayor Zandile Gumede.
As early as February 2021, information was circulating within Prasa that a private security company, the Red Ants, was being consulted about being onboarded as security providers, a senior Prasa source told amaBhungane.This resulted in an emergency procurement process that by its nature bypasses the normal supply chain rules.
The memo notes: “Due to the nature of the emergency, Prasa corporate security needed deployments to initiate immediately and over a period of 12 hours to be at all stations. The two companies that responded and had the capabilities to deliver were IPTS and Red Ants Security.” amaBhungane understands that Papadupolo took a keen interest in the outstanding payments, so much so that it caused friction within the organisation.
Fosu would not comment when approached by amaBhungane, but according to insiders, she raised questions in relation to payment of the emergency security contracts. Papadopulo told amaBhungane the only reason he felt “pressurised” to finalise the payments was because of Public Finance Management Act provisions, which stipulate that public entities should pay invoices within 30 days.
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