Who Is Arthur Fraser? Here Is What We Know

You may have seen a lot of headlines featuring the name “Arthur Fraser.” We are sure that by now, you are wondering who this man is and why he seems to be connected to the presidency.

All the headlines featuring articles and new posts about Arthur Fraser have not been encouraging. They have mostly labeled him a bad man. Still, Mzansi is curious to know what his deal is.

Arthur is related to Barry Fraser, Graham Egel, and Geraldine Fraser-Moreketi. He holds a degree in Video and Film production from the University of London. Arthur is known to be a part of the ANC. He worked as an investigator at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission at the NIA. He is so great at what he does that he served as the boss of national intelligence, Western Cape.

He also worked in the Department of Home Affairs and as the Director General at the National Immigration branch. He became deputy DG at the NIA after one year and six months of service. Between 2016 and 2018, Fraser ran South Africa’s State Security Agency. He also worked as the head of the country’s prison service.

The South African reports that Fraser was accused of siphoning “more than R1 billion of taxpayer money away from the government over three years.” And that he is at war with the DA Chief Whip John Steenhuisen.

The media address Arthur as a former Spy Chief. He is also regarded as an ally of the embattled former South African president Jacob Zuma. He ordered Zuma’s release on Medical parole.

He recently registered a case with the police accusing the President, Cyril Ramaphosa, of kidnapping and bribery. According to BBC, Fraser shared that the case was related to the alleged $4m theft at one of the president’s properties in 2020 and his alleged efforts to cover up what really went down.

The president had stated that there was no “basis for the claims of criminal conduct.” BBC also reported that some believe “the allegations could be linked to wrangles within the ruling African National Congress (ANC) ahead of a leadership race” slated for December.

A statement by the police confirmed that Fraser has registered the case and that “due processes will follow.”Fraser reportedly handed photographs, bank account details, and video footage over to the police.

There have been accusations of enabling graft leveled against Fraser while he ran the SSA. The allegations were made by witnesses at an inquiry into corruption in the country during the Zuma presidency. Hitting back, Fraser claimed that the witnesses were lying about him.

Some days back, there were reports by EWN that Fraser’s “involvement in security matters at the Public Protector’s Office has been called into question in Parliament.” A witness had testified in Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s impeachment inquiry that the former SSA boss had reached out to him about leakages and other security issues while he was boss.

The witness, Baldwin Neshunzhi, was the security manager at the Public Protector’s office at the end of 2019 when he said it happened. Not convinced, the committee chairperson, Richard Dyantyi, questioned the timeline of the events saying, “he had long left SSA by the end of 2019, he was in the justice cluster, heading Correctional Services. If he were to speak to you, it would have been as a parolee.”

The inquiry asked Neshunzhi to provide further evidence to prove that Fraser was, in fact still employed at the SSA when the meeting took place.