The Gauteng police have confirmed that the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Mmamoloko Kubayi, has opened a case of perjury, wrongful impersonation and identity fraud against unknown people who have been allegedly running a smear campaign against her.

This comes as the minister in a heavily circulated yet "fake" WhatsApp conversation is reported to be involved in a bid to wrongfully prosecute deputy president Paul Mashatile.

According to a Sunday newspaper article, Kubayi, Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, and President Cyril Ramaphosa are allegedly collaborating with the NPA to prosecute Deputy President Paul Mashatile.

On Sunday, following this report claiming that she was engaged in a plot against the deputy president, the minister revealed in a video message that she had reported this matter to the Brooklyn Police Station.

"Today, I came to the Brooklyn Police Station to open a case of fraud, impersonation and obstruction of justice following an article in the Sunday World that purported that there are two ministers who are working with the NPA or putting pressure on the NPA to charge and prosecute the deputy president Paul Mashatile. This was followed by circulating messages that had numbers that resemble my number. Also, that conversation purports that I am talking to one of the employees at the NPA. Also, they dropped the name of minister Ntshavheni and the President as if the three of us have decided to pursue charges against the deputy president," she stated.

In a media statement, the minister said she had been made aware of a "fake" WhatsApp conversation implicating her as being behind this plot.

However, she dismissed this as yet another smear campaign meant to tarnish her image and sow divisions between herself and the Mashatile.

"The minister strongly condemns this malicious and orchestrated smear campaign, which seeks to create a division and pit her against the deputy president....Recently, there has been a number of political and personal attacks directed at minister Kubayi, and it has become quite clear that there are people who will stop at nothing to soil her name and reputation," spokesperson for the minister Terrence Manase said.

The NPA has also refuted claims of an elaborate plan to charge the deputy president with perjury with the Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, Sivenathi Gunya indicating that the NPA has never engaged in any of the allegations made by the Sunday papers.

"The NPA is on record about the status of this matter, which has also been communicated in the media. The NPA has full confidence in the integrity and independence of the Dr Rachel Makhari and two cabinet ministers who are not mentioned in the story, which is based on a fake WhatsApp conversation purported to be between Dr Makhari and two ministers who are not mentioned in the story," Gunya stated.

Major General Nonkululeko Phokane in a statement, indicated that indeed, the minister had registered a case with the Brooklyn police, adding that the matter is currently being investigated by the law enforcement agencies.

"The police can confirm that a case has been opened in relation to the above matter. The suspect is unknown at this stage and the investigation is continuing," Phokane stated.

This operation comes hot on the heels of a media report suggesting that Ntshavheni is alleged to have initiated a covert operation called Sibonkolo to “monitor and smear the current deputy president and nine other senior ANC politicians as “she has ambitions to become one of the ANC Top six.

However, this claim was also dismissed by the State Security Agency (SSA), which described this secret operation as “diversionary tactics” that seek to undermine progress in reforming the agency.

siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za

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