Russian agents pull strings in SA

In these three countries, Russian influence agents engaged in covert operations during election campaigns between 2019 and 2025, according to a data leak reviewed by ‘Forbidden Stories’ and its partners.

In Johannesburg, secret meetings were held between specialists from ‘The Company’, a network run by Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, and leaders of the African National Congress (ANC).

In Madagascar, the operatives supported and then attempted to isolate president Andry Rajoelina.

Through smear campaigns against the opposition and fabricated documents, they actively supported candidates deemed pro-Russian.

This is the fourth article in the ‘Propaganda Machine’ series.

On 23 December 2024, in the private lounge at the African Pride Hotel in Johannesburg, a Russian influence agent – code name ‘9477’ – and his translator met with one of the most influential men in South Africa.

Fikile Mbalula is the secretary general of the ANC and is a potential candidate for the 2029 presidential election.

The meeting was secret, but ‘Forbidden Stories’ consulted Agent 9477’s written account.

“I briefly reported on the results of the 2024 mission,” he says.

He details how Mbalula, who had been joined by his adviser Bongani Mbindwane, thanked the Russians “for their assistance before the elections” in May and June 2024 and “stated that he would like the mission to continue to help the party, particularly in the run-up to the 2026 elections” at municipal level.

Agent 9477 also describes Mbalula requesting “support for the shooting of a film to coincide with the party’s anniversary . . . and US$300 000 to finance the organisation of the party congress”.

The meeting ended with “gifts offered to Mbalula, Mbindwane and their families” for Christmas, according to the memo.

The links between Russia and the ANC date back to the days of the Soviet Union. But this meeting, along with more than 1 400 pages of leaked data initially received by the pan-African newspaperThe Continent and shared with Forbidden Stories, reveals much more direct support delivered outside diplomatic channels.

In 76 internal documents from an entity called ‘The Company’ – better known as Politology and led by Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, the SVR–Russian influence agents formerly employed by Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozhin report their activities in Africa and Latin America: carrying out disinformation operations, smear campaigns and election interference.

This new article in the Propaganda Machine series deciphers the political manoeuvres developed by Russian agents to keep “friendly” regimes in power, particularly in South Africa, Namibia and Madagascar. These campaigns have remained secret until now.

The signature is identical, as is the logo. But “it is so badly written that it is actually an insult, and bears no resemblance to the DA’s position”, posted Helen Zille, president of the liberal Democratic Alliance party, in June 2024, referring to a letter signed in her name. This document, purportedly internal to the DA, describes the party’s alleged political schemes to remove the ANC from power once a coalition had been formed. The data leak reveals it’s a forgery: “a document fabricated” by Russian agents.

That same year, with South Africa in the midst of a presidential race, fake news and disinformation operations against the DA multiplied. An order for racist mugs bearing the phrase “There is only one race on the race” was placed for the birthday of John Steenhuisen, then leader of the DA, a party that many opponents, observers and citizens have labelled the “white party”.

Russian agents also launched the website “dumballiance.com”, branded with the DA logo. It features an image of Steenhuisen wearing a wig and a red nose and lists scandals involving DA members. The Company is also behind another deception: a bill for a reservation for a room at the luxurious Marina Bay Sands hotel in Singapore for Zille and her young subordinate, Tim Harris, framed as her lover.

“It’s ridiculous. Tim Harris is old enough to be my son,” said Zille, who recently celebrated her 75th birthday. “We thought campaigns were orchestrated, but we never suspected foreign interference. It’s outrageous,” continues the former journalist, anti-apartheid activist, former mayor of Cape Town and now candidate for the mayoralty of Johannesburg.

In 2024, one month before the elections, Politology allocated a budget of US$118 000 for “the development and implementation of special projects,” including online campaigns such as “DA Racists,” “Burning the DA Flag” and “Corrupt DA Activists”.

Among the leaked documents, account tables show that nearly a dozen South African influencers were paid an average of $150 for every post they made on X against the DA. One of them, Ntate Williams, confirmed the rates to Forbidden Stories, about US$180 today, for a sponsored tweet. However, he denies having worked for Russian agents, saying that the “rare” political content he publishes reflects “his own opinion.” “I think they would have approached us through a local intermediary,” he said.

Another document that Forbidden Stories consulted indeed mentions the presence of an intermediary. Paid US$1,200 per month in December 2024 and in January, February and March 2025, Phuti Mosomane (@phutism on X) is responsible for contacts with online newspapers and “influencers with more than 100 000 followers”, according to The Company. Reached by phone and text message, Mosomane did not respond to Forbidden Stories’ requests for comment.

The involvement of intermediaries makes it impossible to know whether the influencers are aware of who their real employer is.

In May 2024, The Company invested more in South Africa than in any other African country, followed by the Central African Republic and Mali. Internally, it assessed the impact of its campaigns: 3.6 million people reached for one titled, ‘South Africa’s energy crisis is the DA’s fault,’ and 1.2 million for the operation against Zille and her alleged lover.

“I hadn’t heard about that one. It’s absurd,” Zille told Forbidden Stories through laughter.

The 1 400 pages of documents are filled with The Company highlighting only “its successes”. But its triumphant figures and claims should be put into perspective.

Murmur Intelligence, a social intelligence lab collaborating with The Continent, analysed several of the campaigns retrospectively. Its findings suggest the impact was far smaller than the internal reports claimed. One example was the so-called “DA Racists” campaign, which “was poorly spread”, according to Murmur Intelligence. In total, analysts identified only 214 posts linked to the effort.

In Johannesburg, a team of at least six “specialists” rented their offices. An invoice also shows an address in one of the most upscale neighbourhoods of South Africa’s largest city. Specifically, in a private residence on Khyber Court. At the head of the mission there: Maksim Sokolov. According to information obtained by Forbidden Stories, he is Agent 9477.

A 2022 survey of experts conducted by the daily newspaper Novye Izvestia found Sokolov to be one of the “best Russian political technologists”, the Russian term for an agent of influence. He is under Ukrainian sanctions.

In a rare interview with a Russian regional media outlet in 2025, titled, Election Campaigns: The Secrets of a Pro, Sokolov admits to having been based in Africa “a long time ago”. In reality, he was there just a year earlier. He goes on to say his team “helped and provided consultancy”. When asked about the value of deploying Russian specialists to Africa, he explains, “They needed to speed up all the processes… They’re literally in first gear. Compared to them, we —” The interviewer interrupts him: “You’re flying like a rocket.”

Sokolov did answer Forbidden Stories’ calls. Russia has the same objectives in South Africa as it does in all the countries The Company targets: to keep a friendly party in power against “pro-Western” political opposition. Although still ruling South Africa, the ANC is seeing its popularity decline. As early as 2018, secretary general Mbalula reportedly “turned to The Company’s specialists for support in the 2019 elections” during a visit to Moscow. The Company claims to have conducted “sociological surveys and exit polls”, made “recommendations to counter the opposition” and worked on “managing the party’s social media accounts”.

One term later, in 2024, The Company was doing similar work, while also advising Mbalula that the “moderate rhetoric of party leaders against the DA be adjusted and made more aggressive”.

According to internal documents, support for campaign activities was provided “at the request of the party leadership”.

“We have never asked for Moscow’s support, and we have never received any support whatsoever. That has never happened,” Mbalula said when reached by telephone. He acknowledged having met with “groups of researchers”, but “from all over the world … even Scandinavians”. When asked about Sokolov and other former employees of Prigozhin, he said, “It’s possible that we met them, but I don’t remember the names of all the people we see.” Funding, polls, recommendations: “It’s all nonsense,” Mbalula said.

Read more at https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-03-16-mbalulas-covert-meetings-and-manoeuvres-of-russian-influence-agents-in-sa-namibia-and-madagascar/?dm_source=blocks-list-item&dm_medium=card-link&dm_campaign=inform

– Daily Maverick

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