The SACP like investigative journalist Jacques Pauw has been a victim of threats by the State Security Agency (SSA), the party's general secretary Blade Nzimande said during its Red October rally in Durban on Sunday.
The SACP again endorsed Pauw's book titled The Presidents Keepers.
Nzimande said half of what was contained in the book, the communist party had long been preaching.
"There is book that has come out from Jacques Pauw. We want to officially say as SACP, go and read that book," Nzimande said. Nzimande was reiterating the party's second general secretary Solly Mapaila's words during the centenary celebrations for Oliver Tambo in Kagiso, in Gauteng's West Rand, two weeks ago.
He told attendees that SACP leaders had suffered the abuse of the intelligence services.
Some of us have been threatened with jail because we talk a lot. Even if you arrest Nzimande, you will never arrest the SACP.
Since his book's release on October 29, Pauw and NB Publishers have been sent two cease and desist letters from the SSA. The book reveals how the agency was allegedly used to protect President Jacob Zuma from legal persecution.
The South African Revenue Service (SARS) also said it was considering legal steps against Pauw and the Sunday Times, which published the first extract of the book.
The extract alleged that Zuma received monthly payments of R1m from Roy Moodley in 2009 when he was already president, without declaring it to SARS.
Nzimande added that the SSA could only be used against the enemy. He said the use of SSA against ANC allies meant that the SACP was the enemy.
"You can't use intelligence against your own allies. We know we are being listened to.
"Some people are rewarded now as ambassadors because they have achieved their task of listening to the leadership of the party, listening to the leadership of Cosatu, which means we have been declared as an enemy through this action."
The Hawks confirmed that they are investigating the leak of classified information that ended up being published in the book.The SSA is claiming that the content of the book violated the Intelligence Services Act. The SSA has threatened to approach the courts for an interdict to prevent further distribution, publishing or promotion if the book is not withdrawn from store shelves.
The publishers released a statement shortly after the letters saying that they would stand behind the book.
This sparked a countrywide frenzy for the book, with copies sold out in its first week.
The launch of the book at Hyde Park Corner was interrupted after a power outage. Exclusive Books said in a statement that it was investigating the cause of the outage.
During the launch, Pauw told attendees that he expected to spend years fighting the SSA in the court.
-- News24