President Cyril Ramaphosa has handed responsibility for the control and direction of the State Security Agency (SSA) to Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele.
Ramaphosa’s office said on Monday this was in line with his announcement in August last year that the Ministry of State Security would be done away with, and political responsibility for the SSA would reside in the Presidency.
At the time, the president took a decision to place the SSA inside the presidency, with Zizi Kodwa as deputy minister.
“President Ramaphosa has, in terms of Section 209(2) of the constitution, designated minister in the presidency Mondli Gungubele to assume political responsibility for the control and direction of the State Security Agency,” according to a statement i from the presidency on Monday.
“This is in line with his announcement of August 5, 2021 that the ministry of state security would be done away with and political responsibility for the SSA would reside in the presidency.
“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.”
