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 [President 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, President 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”.

According to the Presidency, Gungubele’s assumption of political responsibility for the “control and direction” of the SSA was done in terms of the Constitution.

“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.

Source: South African Government News Agency