By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Presidency has announced that Minister in the Presidency, Mondli Gungubele, will assume responsibility for the State Security Agency (SSA) with Deputy Minister Zizi Kodwa expected to continue as his deputy.
“This is in line with [Ramaphosa’s] announcement of 5 August 2021 that the Ministry of State Security would be done away with and political responsibility for the State Security Agency would reside in the Presidency,” the Presidency said in a statement.
At the time,Ramaphosa said bringing intelligence services to The Presidency would “ensure that the country’s domestic and foreign intelligence services more effectively enable the President to exercise his responsibility to safeguard the security and integrity of the nation”.
“Section 209(2) of the Constitution, which addresses governance of intelligence services, empowers the President to assume political responsibility for intelligence services other than those of the police or national defence force, or to designate a member of Cabinet to assume this responsibility,” the Presidency said.
Ramaphosa’s reconfiguration of the SSA follows revelations in the High Level Review Panel report of abuses at the agency during the era of former president Jacob Zuma.
These included the use of the agency to target political opponents, which also came into focus last year at the state capture inquiry during the testimonies of intelligence operatives who served during the Zuma years.