Issued by: Ministry for Intelligence Services
STATEMENT BY MR JM NHLANHLA MP, DEPUTY MINISTER FOR INTELLIGENCE SERVICE: ALLEGATIONS ON `INSURRECTIONS'
I have noted the recent reports in Rapport and The Citizen alleging concern in government circle about alleged "insurrections". These allegations are unfounded and alarmist. They can only create panic and undermine investor confidence.
Despite the confidentiality of the meetings we regularly have with the President, we want to unequivocally state that there was never a discussion dealing with a coup, an economic revolt or a "violent insurrection" for that matter.
On the contrary, the focus is and always has been on creating opportunities for the country, thus necessitating a close working relationship between government, the intelligence services and business. Only in this manner can we effectively promote our interests and those of our region.
Regular meetings between a President and the chiefs of a country's security services are an international practice. THere is nothing sinister about these meetings. They present a forum of intelligence briefings to the President, and allow him as Commander-in-Chief to issue directives and to task the security services.
The current pre-occupation of the intelligence services is to drastically reduce the level of crime in the country; a goal which is shared by the majority of South Africans.
Discussions therefore focus on the efficacy of the measures taken to realise this goal. THe regular consultations between the President and the Chiefs of the security services, as well as the sustained submission of intelligence reports, are already showing appreciable and tangible results. This is evident when considering the situation in KwaZulu-Natal.
Criminals, bank robbers, drug dealers and car hijackers use sophisticated technology to avoid detection. This includes the use of cellular phones. Being serious in our efforts to close all loopholes available to criminals, we would be failing in our duty in not investigating ways of using their own technology against them. Consequently, this has been one area of focus. When finality is reached on the usage of such technology, such usage would be limited and effected strictly within the parameters of the Constitution and national legislation.
Citizens thus have no reason to be concerned about any abuse of power by the intelligence services. There are efficient and sufficient oversight mechanisms in place to oversee the conduct of intelligence in a democratic society. For example, all monitoring of telephone conversations is carried out in terms of legislation which required that a judge approve such monitoring, measured against a strict set of criteria. It is worth mentioning that several such applications have been turned down in the past, as the judge was not convinced that there was sufficient prima facie evidence. Where proper legal Procedures have not been followed, as in the recent car heist case in Durban, the courts have been quick to rule against such evidence being introduced as evidence.
The response by some political parties to the published allegations are of concern to members of the intelligence services and to me personally, as there is a multi-party Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence (JSCI) through which these allegations could have been tested. The intelligence services are today more accessible than at any time in the country's history.
In this regard, political parties and even members of the public can approach any number of institutions and government leaders for information. Failure to use these channels, even while being represented on the JSCI, detracts from the spirit of the Constitution which treats intelligence as a national asset which is above narrow sectarian assets.
Further, I would like to raise concerns about a disturbing pattern where some of the media appear to be targeting, to the exclusion of all other security services, the National Intelligence Agency for attack. This seems to be aimed at undermining the NIA's position and South African's confidence in it as our first line of defence.
Once again, I would like to urge all political parties to treat the intelligence services as national assets, providing our country's first lines of defence. This is way above narrow sectarian and political interests. Only then will we succeed in ensuring that intelligence serves the country without fear or favour.
ISSUED BY THE MINISTRY FOR INTELLIGENCE SERVICES, 4 DECEMBER 1997