S.Africa: WHY THE SECRECY? – DA slams State Security Agency’s refusal to reveal intelligence reports from July’s unrest

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[What is the ruling party hiding? Jan]

DURBAN – THE DA has slammed the State Security Agency’s (SSA) refusal to make public intelligence reports on July’s unrest in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng as cowardice.

DA spokesperson on State Security, Dianne Kohler Barnard, said the decision to hide behind Section 10 of the Intelligence Services Act and Section 44 of the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) is cowardice and highlights the State’s desire to continue to maintain the veil of secrecy around the catastrophic events in July.

“It is this very level of secrecy the High Level Review Panel report decried and obviously the reports would have been redacted to protect the names of operatives, sources and other sensitive information,” she said.

DA leader, John Steenhuisen, submitted an application in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) to the SSA on July 27 July to access the report(s) which Police Minister, Bheki Cele, categorically denied having received.

Barnard said the minister of State Security was summarily removed from that position after the violence, and to this date it has not been established which of the ministers’ versions of events is correct.

“Complete transparency is required in terms of who knew what and when as well as how our security cluster twiddled their thumbs as KwaZulu-Natal’s industries and livelihoods went up in flames,” she said.

She said the information is of public interest.

“South Africans must know the contents of the supposed report and any intelligence information related to the ANC-sponsored violence which wreaked havoc on communities and businesses in KZN and Gauteng,” she said.

Source: https://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/kwazulu-natal/da-slams-state-security-agencys-refusal-to-reveal-intelligence-reports-from-julys-unrest-36d131c2-2c62-4b23-af88-9f271b6a6c54