Pretoria has established two new intelligence bodies and introduced measures to regulate digital interception.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed off on sweeping reforms to the country’s intelligence services.
The new legislation – the General Intelligence Laws Amendment Bill – dissolves the existing State Security Agency (SSA) and establishes two separate entities: the Foreign Intelligence Service (FIS) and the Domestic Intelligence Agency (DIA), the presidential administration announced on Friday.
The FIS will be responsible for gathering intelligence overseas to detect potential threats to national security, while the DIA will focus on counterintelligence and assessing domestic risks.
Additionally, the law re-establishes the South African National Academy of Intelligence (SANAI) and the Intelligence Training Institute to enhance training for both domestic and foreign intelligence operations.
“The law also addresses concerns about bulk interception by intelligence services of internet traffic entering or leaving South Africa, by introducing new measures including authorisation within the intelligence services as well as court reviews of such interception,” the statement read.
The new legislation places the administration, financial management, and expenditure of intelligence entities under the oversight of the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence, “a multiparty committee of Parliament that processes public complaints about the intelligence services and monitors the finances and operations of these services.”
The General Intelligence Laws Amendment Bill amends the National Strategic Intelligence Act of 1994, the Intelligence Services Act of 2002, and the Intelligence Services Oversight Act of 1994 to implement the changes.
In November, local news agency City Press, quoting a member of parliament, reported that South Africa’s State Security Agency was gearing up for large-scale dismissals. The reports indicated that the government was dissatisfied with the agency’s overall performance.
In July, government minister Dean Macpherson announced that over the past ten years, hackers had stolen 300 million rand ($16.6 million) from the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI). Multiple news agencies described it as the largest ever cyberattack on the South African government.
Following the theft of 24 million rand ($1.3 million) from the DPWI in a cyberattack last May, former DPWI Minister Sihle Zikalala launched a full investigation involving the South African Police Service, State Security Agency, and IT specialists.
LOL, what an oxymoron!
Having laid waste to the beautiful country, they now see the necessity of establishing two new intelligence bodies and the iintroduction of measures to regulate digital interception.
More digital surveillance and hate speech laws incoming.
Probably worried about a US colour revolution turning up, sooner or later. They are a key BRICS member and have, no doubt, seen what has happened in Ukraine, with concern.
They turned the most advanced country in Africa with a first world infrastructure into a failed state, now he wansts to spy on citizens who oppose their kleptocratic rule.
Absolutely what they plan to use these new agencies for. Too many pesky white citizens making too much noise about farm murders and open calls for their genocide. Gotta get in there and curb their ability to spread and share information the way other authoritarian tinpot dictatorships do. Like the UK
They might find that the black South Africans are angry that nothing much has changed since 1991: They still have no running water or electricity and live in poverty whilst the leaders have Swiss bank accounts and gold bars and all the trimmings. The South African ANC leaders think that the White farmers are a problem – think again – the ANC have treated the Blacks with contempt since 1991.
Whilst the African leaders think that they can live by bathing in rose scented water and eating caviar whilst everybody else bathes in sewers and eats rotting food is OK, there is a serious problem with their attitude. If they do not learn, ultimately, they will be removed – it’s just a case of when.
Bwana=White man is boss
Enosh=Lesser being
Incapable of administering their Own affairs
Where is Minto and the crash room dummies?
White Farmer genocide still alive and well