Community Safety MEC Dan Plato, accused of masterminding a smear campaign against detective head Jeremy Vearey, has admitted his ongoing dealings with an informer who has surfaced in the Radovan Krejcir saga and who has implicated Vearey in the matter.

But he denies being involved in this informer, Pierre Theron, making allegations against Vearey and other senior policemen as well as politicians in an affidavit signed in October 2015.

Theron is known to Weekend Argus which has also had dealings with him.

He has tried to peddle information to a variety of journalists about other crimes.

Theron may be called to testify for the State in Krejcir-related matters and could be indemnified from prosecution.

His affidavit alleges Czech fugitive Krejcir, now serving a lengthy jail term, paid Vearey a total of R6 million, but does not explain what the alleged payments were for.

Vearey, who went public about the affidavit, has denied accepting money from Krejcir or even knowing him.

On Saturday, Theron declined to comment on the contents of the affidavit.

He told Weekend Argus he was not in hiding or in witness protection as a national Sunday publication reported last week. “Why must I hide?” he asked.

This reporter met Theron in 2012 in Plato’s old office in St George’s Mall. Afterwards Theron approached me with information, asking for money in exchange. Theron said he was homeless and ill.

We refused to pay.

Yesterday Theron said he was still ill. He said he was in contact with Plato.

The Krejcir affidavit surfaced in media circles about a week ago, roughly the same time another affidavit, bearing an unauthorised provincial community safety department and police ombudsman stamp, was leaked to Weekend Argus.

That affidavit alleged Vearey was working with a gang boss who had ordered the murder of a 28s gang leader in Strand in January.

Last week Vearey lashed out at Plato, accusing the MEC of conducting a smear campaign against him. Plato has denied trying to discredit Vearey.

This week Plato admitted to Weekend Argus he had dealt with Theron and had received information from him until about two weeks ago.

But he denied playing a role in compiling or leaking the Krejcir affidavit. “(Theron) did submit a document to me two weeks ago,” Plato said.

He had meetings with Theron in his office.

“I still have his affidavits. I’ve got recordings,” Plato said.

He said when Theron approached him with information, he’d asked Theron to put it into writing and then forwarded this to the police or relevant authorities.

During previous meetings with Plato, Theron provided him with unsubstantiated information about, among other things, the local activities of the Chinese mafia and rhino poaching.

Weekend Argus was present at some of these meetings.

In 2012 Theron provided me with information about:

* Rhino owners who allegedly ordered the dehorning, and in certain cases killing, of their own rhinos. They then allegedly sold the horns. He provided the names of these owners but this was not substantiated.

* The 1977 unsolved murders of National Party politician Robert Smit and his wife Jean-Cora in their Springs home. Theron claimed he was present when the couple were murdered. He provided a drawing. In the recent Krejcir affidavit, Theron also included “a handwritten drawing” to corroborate his statement.

This week national police spokesman Brigadier Vish Naidoo declined to comment on Theron’s credibility.

[Source: Weekend Argus]