Greenpeace Africa noted on Tuesday that a transparent, honest and accountable government would not feel threatened by the actions of a healthy civil society, saying it would continue to demand more accountability, decisive action and transparency from government.

Greenpeace Africa has withdrawn its Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) application to the Minister in the Presidency Responsible for State Security, to provide further information on the infiltration and surveillance of civil society organisations as revealed in the Boast Report in July 2022.

The report, which was released by civil society organisations, revealed State Security Agency (SSA) operations that threatened to infiltrate and conduct surveillance on certain movements and civil society organisations.

Greenpeace Africa is one of the organisations listed in the report.

A lengthy affidavit from the SSA has put to rest concerns of infiltration, however, Greenpeace Africa said it would still support a thorough investigation conducted by the International Gemological Institute (IGI) as to whether the methods of surveillance of civil society organisations were legal.

Greenpeace Africa was set to appear before the High Court in Cape Town in January to compel the SSA to grant access to the unredacted Boast Report, which would reveal the names of the operatives involved in infiltrating civil society organisations, and all records relating to interception and surveillance conducted against civil society organisations.

However, the SSA gave details as to the extent of the surveillance conducted on Greenpeace Africa, and the reasons for identifying the organisation as a potential target.

The SSA explained that Greenpeace Africa was identified as a potential security threat because of its history of protest action and the SSA was concerned that the organisation might participate in similar activities at Parliament during the State of the Nation Address or the Budget speech, owing to government’s approval of the nuclear deal.

Greenpeace Africa interim programme director Melita Steele said Greenpeace Africa would continue to resist injustice in South Africa and across the continent, in the courts and on the frontlines.

Greenpeace Africa said it was satisfied with some of the outcomes resulting from the application process – Greenpeace Africa, Right2Know and Right2Protest have forced the SSA to provide a transparent account of its decisions.

“We have procured the reasons why we were flagged for surveillance, and we have obtained confirmation that Greenpeace Africa was only engaged through social media,” said Steele.

Greenpeace Africa said it would continue to support its partner organisations also mentioned in the Boast Report, as they proceeded with their respective applications, registering as an interested and affected party in the IGI investigation.

“The withdrawal of the application, against a tender of costs from the SSA, will be against an undertaking that Greenpeace Africa be informed of the determination of the investigations into the SSA’s conduct, insofar as we relate to it,” it explained.