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By Staff Writer
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has submitted a series of questions to the South African Parliament concerning the activities of business intelligence consultant Phillip Van Niekerk, his firm Calabar Africa, and related engagements involving MTN and government entities.
Presidency
- Will the Presidency provide full details, including:
- (i) Dates and durations;
- (ii) Remuneration amounts;
- (iii) Invoices,
relating to any contracts entered into with:- (a) Calabar Africa or Calabar Consulting
- (b) Vogel Group
for the period 2021 to date?
- Will the Presidency provide:
- (i) Telephone records;
- (ii) Meeting times;
- (iii) Meeting minutes,
of any engagements between officials in the Presidency, including the President, and representatives of:- (a) Calabar Africa or Calabar Consulting
- (b) Vogel Group from 2021 to date?
- (i) Has the Presidency provided any remuneration or compensation of any nature for services rendered by:
- (a) Phil van Niekerk or Calabar Africa or Calabar Consulting
- (b) Vogel Group since 2021?
(ii) If so, please provide full details of the nature and scope of such services.
Minister of State Security
- Will the Minister provide full details, including:
- (i) Dates and durations;
- (ii) Remuneration amounts;
- (iii) Invoices,
relating to any contracts entered into with:- (a) Calabar Africa or Calabar Consulting
- (b) Vogel Group from 2021 to date?
- Will the Minister provide:
- (i) Telephone records;
- (ii) Meeting times;
- (iii) Meeting minutes,
of any engagements between officials of the State Security Agency (SSA) or any related intelligence entity, including the Minister, and representatives of:- (a) Calabar Africa or Calabar Consulting
- (b) Vogel Group since 2021?
- (i) Has the SSA or any related intelligence agency under the Minister’s jurisdiction provided any remuneration or compensation of any nature for services rendered by:
- (a) Calabar Africa or Calabar Consulting
- (b) Vogel Group since 2021?
(ii) If so, please provide full details of the services rendered.
- (i) Has the SSA or any related intelligence or security structure undertaken surveillance of Emma Louise Powell at any time between 2019 and the present?
(ii) If so, please provide:- (a) Dates and durations of such surveillance;
- (b) Total costs incurred;
- (c) The legislative or regulatory basis used to authorise such surveillance.
- Has the Ministry or the SSA procured surveillance services of any nature from any:
- (i) Individuals;
- (ii) Private security firms; or
- (iii) Companies,
based in:- (a) The United States of America
- (b) Germany
- (c) South Africa
Minister of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO)
- Will the Minister provide full details, including:
- (i) Dates and durations;
- (ii) Remuneration amounts;
- (iii) Invoices,
relating to any contracts entered into with:- (a) Calabar Africa or Calabar Consulting
- (b) Vogel Group from 2021 to date?
- Will the Minister provide:
- (i) Telephone records;
- (ii) Meeting times;
- (iii) Meeting minutes,
of any engagements between officials of DIRCO, including the Minister, and representatives of:- (a) Calabar Africa or Calabar Consulting
- (b) Vogel Group since 2021?
- (i) Has the Department or the Ministry provided any remuneration or compensation of any nature for services rendered by:
- (a) Phil Van Niekerk or Calabar Africa
- (b) Vogel Group since 2021?
(ii) If so, please provide full details of such services.
- (i) Have any employees, contractors, or entities acting on behalf of the Department or Ministry surveilled Emma Louise Powell at any time between 2022 and the present?
(ii) If so, please provide:- (a) Dates and durations of such surveillance;
- (b) Total costs incurred;
- (c) The legislative or regulatory basis used to authorise such surveillance.
- Please provide details of all contractors that were:
- (i) Procured
- (ii) Paid for by DIRCO between January 2024 – March 2025 for the rendering of any and all services required by the Department in that country.
- Please provide:
- (i) Details of the full nature of the technical challenges that led to the Department closing its consular and diplomatic offices in Munich in February 2024 for a number of days as per the notice of 16 February 2024;
- (ii) Details of invoices submitted by providers who attended to such alleged technical challenges that required upgrades and led to telephone outages and the unavailability of all consular staff for the weekend of 16–18 February 2024;
- (iii) Details of all related system upgrades and challenges that led to the closure of DIRCO offices during this time.
These questions are directed at the Presidency, the Minister of State Security, and the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO). The DA has requested disclosure of all contracts, remuneration, meetings, and surveillance activities involving Van Niekerk, Calabar Africa, and the Vogel Group since 2021.