The State Security Agency (SSA) has dismissed claims that it has roped in retired members to assist in foreign operations.

This after media reports said the agency is overlooking current members and opting to deploy retired agency members on foreign operations.

SSA Acting Director General, Ambassador Gab Msimang, called the reports a “continued misinformation and disinformation” campaign.

“There is no truth in the reports that the agency has preferred its retired members for foreign posting at the expense of its young and current members. This is the nefarious agenda and work of people who have taken it upon themselves to peddle lies about the work of the agency,” he said.

Msimang explained that the agency has for years utilised what he called an “approved foreign deployment strategy”.

“Any foreign deployment of members will be conducted according to these established rules and members who have grievances regarding such deployments know the internal processes available to lodge their grievances.

“All the gossip and slander about the deployment of ANC [African National Congress] exiles and sidelining of current members is misinformation that the agency rejects with the contempt it deserves,” Msimang said.

In clarifying the plan to recall retired members, Msimang explained that this was part of a strategy to improve the agency’s vetting backlog.

“The plan to bring on board retired members had nothing to do with foreign posting but a capacity drive to fast track the eradication of the vetting backlog, which is the terrain of the Domestic Branch,” he said.

In a statement, SSA emphasised that its focus remains on “safeguarding of the territorial integrity” of South Africa and its citizens.

“The agency is also firmly on course in the implementation of the recommendations of the High Level Review Panel on National Security. Those remain the strategic focus areas of the agency and any other distraction such as these false reports will be seen for what they are and will not in any way hinder the agency from executing its lawful mandate”.

Source: South African Government News Agency