The State Security Agency (SSA) is mandated by the National Strategic Act of 1994 (Act No. 39 of 1994), and as amended by the General Intelligence Laws Amendment Act of 2013 (Act No. 11 of 2013), to conduct and coordinate counterintelligence (CI). In fulfilling this legislative mandate the SSA is required to “put in place or institute measures and conduct activities to neutralise the effectiveness of foreign or hostile intelligence operations, to protect intelligence and any classified information, to conduct vetting investigations and to counter any threat or potential threat to national security” (GILAA, Act No. 11 of 2013).
The SSA performs threat and risk assessments (TRAs) as per request from the South African Police – Directorate for Protective Services (DPSS) which includes the VIP services and the Presidential Protection Services (PPS). Threat assessments are also provided in support of the security deployment detail of the NATJOINTS. These assessments are provided to support the SAPS Crime Intelligence Division, and on the whole, the SSA provides the assessments on a routine basis as part of its Counterintelligence mandate.
The table below outlines the number of Threat and Risk Assessments provided to the SAPS Protection Services and/or the Ministry for State Security for visits by VIPs.
Year |
Number of Assessments |
2010-2011 |
5 |
2011-2012 |
5 |
2012-2013 |
39 |
2013-2014 |
42 |
2014-2016 |
86 |
2015-2016 |
109 |
2016-2017 |
60 |
2017-to-date |
13 |