‘I made clear that I did not know if the info was true’

MO Shaik has come out fighting after suggestions that he had a hand in leaking information to the effect that the National Prosecuting Authority was going to drop its case against presidential hopeful Jacob Zuma.

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Shaik’s brother, paroled fraudster Schabir, is Zuma’s former financial adviser.

Yesterday, Shaik denied any involvement in front-page stories in The Star and Business Day newspaper, which trumpeted a supposed about-turn by the NPA.

But Shaik, an ANC underground struggle operative who became an intelligence agent in the democratic South Africa, has a colourful history as a spin doctor and vociferous Zuma supporter.

In 2003, Shaik accused former NPA boss Bulelani Ngcuka ­ who had announced the Scorpions had a “prima facie” case against Zuma ­ of being a spy for the apartheid regime.

Shaik handed a report containing the allegations to former Sunday Times journalist Ranjeni Munusamy ­ who passed on the story to the City Press.

However, the Hefer Commission, which investigated the allegations, found the reports to be false.

In 2007, shortly before the ANC’s Polokwane conference, Shaik embarrassed the party by making unauthorised comments on the likely composition of a Zuma-led cabinet.

Shaik suggested Finance Minister Trevor Manuel might not retain his job in a Zuma administration.

On Tuesday, Shaik reportedly told students and ANC members at a gathering at the University of Pretoria: “Many of you will be moved by what I’m about to say, but in the national newspapers that’s going to break tomorrow [Wednesday] morning is going to be the following headline: ‘The National Prosecuting Authority has decided not to prosecute Jacob Zuma’.”

Yesterday, two newspapers ran the story on their front pages.

In a statement yesterday Shaik denied being the source of the supposed leak: “I made reference to the fact that throughout the day I received a flurry of SMSs to the effect that national newspapers were going to carry a story [on Wednesday] that the NPA was planning to withdraw charges against ANC president Jacob Zuma. I made clear that I did not know whether this information was true or not.”

He told The Times he was not aware of any disgruntlement at ANC headquarters, Luthuli House, over his comments to the students.