Non-governmental organisation AfriForum expressed concern at what it terms the “systemic failures” of South Africa’s intelligence agencies’, calling for immediate action to restore integrity and functionality to these critical institutions.

The organisation was referencing a 2018 report by a High-Level Review Panel appointed by President Cyril Ramaphosa and which exposed the extent of dysfunction within the State Security Agency (SSA).

The report highlighted how the agency has been engulfed in political factionalism since 2009, becoming a tool for self-enrichment and political manoeuvring rather than a reliable protector of national security.

AfriForum said the agency’s shift away from its constitutional and human security obligations has undermined public confidence and left critical threats unaddressed.

The organisation believes widespread corruption, political interference and mismanagement is said to have compromised the SSA’s ability to serve its intended purpose, of safeguarding the country.

AfriForum’s chief spokesperson for community safety Jacques Broodryk stated that the “collapse of South Africa’s intelligence services” had left the nation vulnerable.

“…the State Security Agency, which once was a cornerstone of national security, has become a symbol of incompetence and corruption. This cannot continue.”

AfriForum demanded immediate reforms to rebuild public trust and ensure the country’s intelligence services focused on protecting the country, not “serving narrow political or personal interests”, said Broodryk.

He highlighted that the current state of South Africa’s intelligence agencies was “unsustainable and poses” a direct threat to the nation’s stability.

He also referenced the recent revelations involving the South African Police Service Crime Intelligence division’s apparent misuse of secret funds. The division reportedly spent R22.7-million to purchase a luxury boutique hotel in Pretoria North.

Broodryk said these persistent failures came at a critical time when South Africa faced mounting challenges, including escalating instability in northern Mozambique, which he warned could spill into South Africa; organised crime networks involved in drug trafficking, human trafficking and money laundering; espionage targeting South Africa’s technology and industries; as well as domestic threats from radical groups that may incite violence.

“Rather than addressing these pressing issues, intelligence agencies are mired in scandals, including the appointment of unqualified individuals to senior positions and the misuse of state resources,” he added.