An independent consultant to the Africa Institute of South Africa has apparently been posing as a secret agent for President Thabo Mbeki since 1996, according to a report in the Sunday Times newspaper.  

The National Intelligence Agency had apparently instructed presidential staff to keep away from the man, who goes by the name of Bheki Jacobs, whom they believe to be the author of several documents alleging corruption in the controversial R43,8-billion arms deal. 

Presidential spokesperson Bheki Khumalo said on Sunday the matter was being handled by the state's security agencies. 

"Bheki Jacobs has never been and is not an agent of the President." 

The presidency wanted to dissociate itself from Jacobs and did not want anything to do with the man, he said. 

The report said some of the documents on the arms deal had been passed on to Pan Africanist Congress MP Patricia de Lille and the head of the Special Investigating Unit, Judge Willem Heath. 

It said Jacobs had been supplying documents to officials in Mbeki's office, claiming he secretly worked for the president. 

Other documents apparently sent to the presidency included a report that mining giants Anglo American and De Beers had teamed up with Johnnic chairman Cyril Ramaphosa and certain Cabinet ministers in a plot to overthrow Mbeki; and a Western Cape ANC alliance plot against the president. - Sapa 

With acknowledgement to Sapa and Independent Online.