JOHANNESBURG – State Security minister, Bongani Bongo has defended government’s attempts to force a controversial book about President Jacob Zuma off the shelves. 

The state security agency wants the book withdrawn from stores. It also wants sections of the publication retracted, claiming they’re in violation of the Intelligence Services Act.

SARS said it’s concerned about the publication of confidential taxpayer information.

Speaking to eNCA’s Vuyo Mvoko, Bongo said parts of veteran journalist Jaques Pauw’s book, “The President’s Keepers”, are inaccurate, while other parts include classified information that should be protected. 

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Earlier, Pauw told eNCA he was not surprised that government was opposing the book, but was not daunted. 

Author and columnist Max Du Preez says SARS and the State Security Agency’s attempt to remove a controversial book is reminiscent of apartheid. 

According to Du Preez, “It’s interesting to remember that Neil Barnard, when State Security was still called National Intelligence, hauled me into court for pretty much the same thing, saying I broke the law around State Security and I exposed the identity of the agents. And my argument was simply that you were hiding wrongdoing. It’s in the overwhelming public interest that we do this. And I got an R28 000 fine and a long suspended prison sentence so SS is learning all the tricks from the old baas men from the apartheid era I find that disgusting.”

eNCA