Explosive revelations have surfaced implicating members of the South African Police Service’s (SAPS) Crime Intelligence (CI) division in the hacking of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s emails during his tenure as deputy president. The allegations were uncovered through a confidential investigation into the abuse of state surveillance tools.
According to an affidavit by police whistleblower Brigadier Tiyani Lincoln Hlungwani, Crime Intelligence used a system known as Ultra Profiler, designed to intercept emails and SMS messages, to unlawfully access Ramaphosa’s private Gmail accounts. This hacking occurred amid preparations for the African National Congress’s (ANC) 2017 national conference, with leaked emails attempting to tarnish Ramaphosa’s reputation by suggesting personal indiscretions. Hlungwani’s affidavit accused the CI division of being weaponized for political espionage and enrichment of connected individuals, describing a culture of corruption, factionalism, and misuse of resources within the unit.
The affidavit also revealed that Crime Intelligence had been captured by political forces within the ruling party, undermining its ability to execute its mandate effectively. Despite supplying extensive evidence to the Zondo Commission of Inquiry, Hlungwani never testified publicly. The allegations raise grave concerns about the integrity of South Africa’s intelligence services and the erosion of trust in institutions meant to protect democracy and national security. Official SAPS leadership has claimed no awareness of these activities