Cape Town, South Africa, November 5 (Infosplusgabon) – Two prominent organisations have slammed the government over calls to censor an explosive new books linking President Jacob Zuma to a widespread corruption.
The State Security Agency (SSA) on Friday ordered the publishers of the book to withdraw it immediately.
Leading investigative journalist Jacques Pauw’s “The President’s Keepers” threatened to blow the lid off the Zuma administration which is reeling following a wave of high-profile scandals.
The book sold 20,000 copies following its launch earlier this week and NB Publishers have refused to withdraw it and have ordered a re-run. It identifies key players in the local tobacco trade, police officials and state security agency spy bosses who are accused of working together to ensure that Zuma is not jailed for numerous alleged graft cases.
It also claims that Zuma was employed by a private company, earning a salary of about US$100,000 per month after he was elected President in 2009.
The SSA said the author and the publisher are in violation of the Intelligence Services Act without elaborating.
SaveSA on Saturday said the country is on “a slippery, apartheid-style slope » which is tantamount to « full-blown censorship, the suppression of freedom of expression, and the violation of our Constitution”.
Corruption Watch also defended ten authors and publishers. « Corruption Watch condemns these actions as those of highly compromised and captured state institutions intent on protecting the president, » it said in a statement.
FIN/INFOSPLUSGABON/UYH/GABON 2017
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