Dubbed ‘Operation Knysna’, the campaign was allegedly approved by BAT and executed by a company called Forensic Security Services (FSS), which apparently deployed a network of more than 170 spies.
PRETORIA – In an explosive affidavit that has exposed a smouldering corporate tobacco war, a former spy has turned against his multinational handlers and laid bare alleged global espionage and sabotage.
Eyewitness News has exclusively obtained a sworn statement in whichBritish American Tobacco (BAT) and Forensic Security Services (FSS) are accused of an unlawful campaign to discredit BAT’s competitors.
BAT controls about 85 percent of the South African cigarette market.
A former policeman-turned-spy - and now whistle blower, has described in detail how BAT allegedly hired a network of spies across the country and paid off law enforcement officials to disrupt competitors’ business operations.
The man’s identity is being withheld until formal criminal charges have been lodged.
He says their campaign involved close work with the authorities, to ensure continued raids on businesses and product seizures.
The man says the rationale was to create the perception in the marketplace that the competitor's products were not worth keeping because of the risk of loss.
He says he was told by BAT and FSS managers, whom he’s identified by name and with supporting documentation, that the only way to suppress the competition was to falsely suggest that they were selling and marketing their cigarettes unlawfully.
Fita’s Sinen Mnguni has confirmed the veracity of the affidavit while BAT declined to comment.
(Edited by Tamsin Wort)
JOHANNESBURG - Another
British American Tobacco (BAT) vehicle has been robbed, this time in Langlaagte west of Johannesburg.
It’s understood the driver was making a delivery at a shop on Wednesday morning when he was confronted by two armed men.
The police’s Katlego Mogale said, “When he proceeded to deliver the cigarettes to the garage next door and as he approached the garage he was confronted by two suspects who pointed a firearm at him and took the cigarettes, as well as his keys and his jacket. They went back to the police station where they took the vehicle and fled the scene.”
This is the second BAT vehicle to be targeted in a matter of days.
On Tuesday, an armed gang travelling in three cars robbed another of the firms vans on Peter Road in Honeydew.
US plane impounded in Zimbabwe; body and cash found on board
By FARAI MUTSAKA
HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Zimbabwean aviation authorities impounded a U.S.-registered cargo jet, a senior official said Monday, after a dead body later believed to be a stowaway and millions of South African rand were found on board.
The Herald, a state-run newspaper, reported that the MD-11 trijet was traveling from Germany to South Africa "with millions of rands." At today's exchange rate, 1 million rand is worth $62,500.
Authorities here learned the money belonged to the South Africa Reserve Bank, the country's central bank. Police planned to issue a statement later Monday.
The plane had landed in Harare for refueling, said Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe general manager David Chawota. He said the jet, registered with Western Global Airlines, was impounded at Harare airport on Sunday. A website says Western Global Airlines is based in Estero, Florida. The airline on Monday said the cargo belonged to the South African Reserve Bank and the dead body belonged presumably to a stowaway. Zimbabwe police said it was still investigating the matter.
The crew did not know there was someone else on the plane, according to a police officer, who insisted on anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the press. It appears from photos on social media that the dead person had sneaked into the plane's landing gear, which severed his arm when it contracted, causing blood to splatter onto the fuselage and arousing the suspicion of the ground crew when the flight landed here.
In a response to AP queries, Western Global Airlines said it didn't have the identity of the dead person, believed to be a stowaway.
Zimbabwean Armed Soldiers patrol around a United States registered cargo plane at Harare Internation …
"The aircraft is leased to Network Airline Management, a longtime customer based in the UK, and the shipment consignee was the South African Reserve Bank. This particular flight was from Germany to South Africa, we are told for the South African government. During a routine fuel stop in Zimbabwe, a body was found in the lower compartment. The body is presumed to be a stowaway who may have entered the airplane during a previous stop. The situation is currently under review," the airline said in an e-mail response to The Associated Press.
South Africa's ambassador to Zimbabwe, Vusi Mavimbela, confirmed that the cargo belonged to the South African Reserve Bank but refused to divulge further details, saying he was still liaising with the Zimbabwe government to resolve the matter. He refused to divulge the nature of the cargo or the amount of money that was in the plane.
Zimbabwe police spokeswoman Charity Charamba said investigations are still underway.
"Our officers are on the ground investigating the case. We are working hard to get the identity of this dead person but I will only give clearer details when investigations are complete. The body has been taken for tests by experts," she said on Monday night.
The crew, according to the Herald, includes two Americans, a South African and a Pakistani.
___
Associated Press Writer Jennifer Kay in Miami contributed to this report.
COMMENTS BY SONNY
If one takes these three articles collectively then, SOUTH AFRICA IS ONE HELL OF A CORRUPT COUNTRY
Enough reason to have Zuma impeached now?
SURE!
IS THE SA TREASURY LAUNDERING MONEY ABROAD?
THE SANDF COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF WILL NOW EXIT THE CHAMBER!
WHO HAS THEIR FINGERS IN THE GEPF TILL?
* THE ZULU FAMILY TREE
Statement by a top Black Academic
(This is why he is a “top
Black”)
Read this Statement by
a top Black Academic and think a
while...
Statement by Juju Mkize SRC
president of University Cape Town –
THE SHOCKING
TRUTH ABOUT RACISM
How the hell can we believe you Mr
President?
"South Africans are psychologically sick as a
result of the violence inflicted upon the majority of the country’s people
during the apartheid era ", President Jacob Zuma said.
This lie
is getting really old! The history of black South Africans has always
been that of violence, death and destruction - NOT inflicted upon them by white
people in this country.
Shaka Zulu, during his 10-year reign butchered
more than 2 million black people in South Africa , not counting the deaths
during mass tribal migrations to escape his armies. He had his warriors clubbed
to death upon the merest sign of weakness. He neither took a legal wife nor
fathered a son, for fear that his heir would plot against him, and had his
concubines executed if he discovered they were pregnant. When his mother died,
he massacred thousands of his subjects so their families would mourn along with
him. Shaka retained his throne through the worst kind of sheer terror, vast mass
executions, torture and mindless butchery.
His brother, Dingane, was no
better. He took power after the assassination of Shaka and started his reign by
butchering those loyal to Shaka.
THAT, amongst many other horror stories
of black-on-black violence, is the history of Black South Africa.
During
the Apartheid years it was not better. Factional fighting and tribal conflict
was again the main cause of violence and death amongst black South
Africans.
During the Apartheid era, from 1948 to 1994, the average life
expectancy of black South Africans had risen to 64 years, on par with Europe ' s
average life expectancy. Infant death rates had by then been re duced from
174 to 55 infant deaths per thousand, higher than Europe ' s, but considerably
lower than the rest of the African continent ' s. The African population in
South Africa increased by 50%.
Deaths due to political violence during
apartheid:
21 000 people died in political violence in South Africa
during apartheid of whom 14 000 died during the transition process from 1990 to
1994.
This includes SA Defence Force actions, for instance the 600 deaths
at Kassinga in Angola during the war in 1978.
Of those deaths, the vast
majority, 92%, have been primarily due to Africans killing Africans, such as the
inter-tribal battles for territory.
During the period June 1990 to July
1993 a total of 8580 (92%) of the 9 325 violent deaths during the period June
1990 to July 1993 were caused by Africans killing Africans, or as the news media
often calls it, "Black on Black" violence - hostel killings, Inkatha Freedom
Party versus ANC k illings and taxi and turf war violence.
The security
forces caused 518 deaths (5.6%) throughout this period.
During the
transitional period, the primary causes of deaths were not security forces nor
white right-wing violence against blacks, but due to "black-on-black necklace
murders", tribal conflict between the ANC-IFP, bombs by the ANC and PAC ' s
military wings in shopping centers, landmines on farm roads, etc.
In this
country TODAY (under black rule) as many as 18 000 people are murdered EVERY
year. ...and those are the official statistics. More than 400 000 people have
been murdered in South Africa under ANC rule. The past 20 years have been the
most violent in the history of this country since the death of Shaka
Zulu
...and NONE of it has
anything to do with WHITE people or APARTHEID... but I guess if you repeat the
lie often enough foreigners actually start believing the drivel coming from your
mouth, Mr. Uneducated President !!!”
Unfortunately people from all over the
world believe the lies you have spread and wrongly blame the Whites for
Racism!!
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