Johannesburg – The country’s intelligence capacity is headed for a major overhaul after President Cyril Ramaphosa scrapped the State Security Agency (SSA) and moved its functions to The Presidency.
One of the major fallouts between former state security minister Ayanda Dlodlo and Ramaphosa is believed to have been the alleged failure to implement the recommendations of a panel of experts led by former cabinet minister Sydney Mufamadi.
The panel recommended finding a method to address the “unfettered” auditing of the agency’s finances.
It also recommended that the ministry initiate a process – together with the ministries of finance, defence and police – to explore the options and consequences of repealing the Security Services Special Account Act (Act 81 of 1969) and the Secret Services Account Act (Act 56 of 1978).
It is understood that this week’s appointment of Mufamadi would pave the way for the implementation of the panel’s recommendations.
The president’s move on state security has a striking similarity to what US authorities did following serious flaws in intelligence which resulted to the 9/11 terrorist attack.
The 9/11 Commission recommended establishing a director of national intelligence in the Presidency as it had identified major intelligence failures that called into question how well the intelligence community was able to protect US interests against foreign terrorist attacks.
Sunday World understands SSA’s retired head of domestic branch Sam Muofhe had recommended the scrapping of the agency and collapsing it into The Presidency, which is a common practice throughout the world.
There were concerns that a separate department of intelligence created powerful ministers who even spied on the president and their colleagues in cabinet.
“He told him that intelligence is the jurisdiction of the president throughout the world. Intelligence may even have information on a minister,” a source said.
Panel to review and strengthen portfolio
Ramaphosa this week appointed an expert panel to lead a critical review of failures to deal with the unrest, with the view of strengthening the country’s security capabilities.
What do we know about the panelists?
Professor Sandy Africa Appointed to chair the panel, she is a big believer in taking measures to strengthen the system of oversight needed to improve financial accountability of the civilian intelligence services (now called the State Security Agency).
Silumko Sokupa
He also sat in the Mufamadi high-level panel. He is a former provincial head of the erstwhile National Intelligence Authority in the Eastern Cape, former counterintelligence general manager in the South African Secret Service (SASS) and deputy director-general at SASS responsible for the African continent, special envoy for president Thabo Mbeki in Cote d’Ivoire, and coordinator for national intelligence until retirement.
Advocate Mojanku Gumbi
Gumbi was a special adviser to Mbeki. She is a human rights lawyer who has worked as both an attorney and advocate and has more than 30 years of experience in private practice, public policy development, and African conflict resolution.
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