SSA focus on state security is significant and is best understood in the context of the evolution of South African politics since 1961. During the John Vorster Regime, state security was seen to be paramount by virtue of the fact that the state was the referent object simply because it represented an ethnic minority and was thus contested. The referent object is that which needs to be secured. This gave rise to the Bureau of State Security, which came to an end after the Info Scandal involving the use of secret funds and covert capabilities to manipulate public opinion via the media. Emerging from this was the PW Botha regime, which saw the rise of the State Security Council as the premier decision-making organ. This was hawkish and favoured the military. The emergence of paramilitary police units was a direct result of this. While this process was unfolding, the National Intelligence Service was created but remained in the shadow under the leadership of Dr Niel Barnard. Central to the creation of the NIS was the burning question about what the referent object is and how it should be secured. Within the NIS the view was that the only way to secure the state was to create a legitimate government representative of the majority of the citizens. This discourse was known as "National Security" and the focus of security was the nation. The idea being that if the nation is secured, then a legitimate government would emerge so state security would become irrelevant as a concept. When the FW de Klerk Regime took over, it inherited a security force in crisis arising from the actions of the paramilitary police. This created space for the National Security discourse to take its rightful place in underpinning the transition to democracy by creating the climate for negotiations to end the Armed Struggle. This saw the concept of "national security" dominate the intelligence community, at least during the transition to democracy and the decade thereafter. It was only when the state started to perceive that it was under threat, that the old thinking about "state security" again emerged. This drove the creation of the State Security Agency out of the remnants of what had evolved from the NIS.
Functions and mandate
The SSA describes its mandate as to, Some of the areas the SSA focuses on are:
Terrorism
Sabotage
Subversion
Espionage
Organised crime
Legislation
The following pieces of legislation govern and manage the role of the State Security Agency:
The following people have held the position of Director-General since the restructure of the South Africanintelligence services in 2009:
2009 – 2011 Mzuvukile Jeff Maqetuka
2011 – 2013 Dennis Thokozani Dlomo
2013 – 2016 Sonto Kudjoe
2016 – 2018 Arthur Fraser
2018 – Loyiso Jafta
Organisational structure
The following branches make up the State Security Agency:
Domestic branch
Previously known as the National Intelligence Agency, its mandate is gather and analyse intelligence concerning potential or existing threats to South Africa's security including economic, social, political and environmental issues. The intelligence is shared with President and National Intelligence Co-ordinating Committee and when required, with government departments and the South African Police. The branch is also responsible for counter-intelligence.
Foreign branch
Previously known as the South African Secret Service, the foreign branches mandate is to collect and analyse foreign intelligence and potential or existing foreign threats to South Africa's security. The intelligence is shared with National Intelligence Co-ordinating Committee.
National Communications branch
National Communications Centre The branch is responsible for integrating and co-ordinating all South African government signals and communications interception through the Signals Intelligence Evaluation Centre and the Office of Interception Centre. COMSEC Formed initially in 2002 as a private company called Civilian Intelligence Community, it became a government department in 2009 with a role to ensure that the government and civil service departments electronic communications are protected and secured. Office for Interception Centre The office centralises the lead role for interception of communications for South African security and law-enforcement services. The office has been regulated since 2005 by the Regulation of Interception of Communications and Provision of Communications-Related Information Act, 2002. Oversight rests with the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence and the Inspector-General.
The National Academy of Intelligence is based in Mafikeng and was established in February 2003 and comprises an academic faculty, an intelligence research institute and development support component.
The council consists of at least three people one of whom is the chairperson and are appointed by the Minister of Intelligence. The council make recommendations to the minister on conditions of service and other human resources activities such as salaries, fringe benefits and performance measures for staff in the agency.
