Johannesburg - The security cluster could be in for an overhaul after President Cyril Ramaphosa announced in his State of the Nation (Sona) address that there will be changes.
This followed the July unrest and other security breaches in the country in the last few months.
Ramaphosa’s announcement comes after a damning expert panel report on the July unrest, in which 359 people died and the country’s economy suffered financial damages of about R50 billion.
Cope national spokesperson Dennis Bloem said changes in the security cluster must not only affect “foot soldiers” but their principals must also be axed from the system.
“It is long overdue,” he said. He said the ministers should be axed as well.
Political analyst Dr Ralph Mathekga described Ramaphosa’s announcement of a new leadership change at the security cluster as a “vague statement”.
He said there was nothing new in the expert panel report, saying it had condensed what South Africans knew all along regarding who was behind the events of July last year.
He said that by making that announcement, Ramaphosa was just “testing public opinion and to find out how far he should go on the matter”.
“It is always his strategy. It becomes difficult to hold him accountable,” said Mathekga.
He did not rule out a possibility of a Cabinet reshuffle but maintained that the president was very vague on his announcement.
He, however, conceded that Ramaphosa had to fill some of the vacant posts, especially in the intelligence cluster following the retirement of Mahlodi Moufhe who was head of the Domestic Intelligence Unit.
Commenting on new leadership for the security cluster, Prof Andre Duvenhage said: “This clearly comes out of the report which analysed the violence where the basic security cluster completely failed President Cyril Ramaphosa.
“It has to do with the lack of coordinated leadership and elements of sabotage within the sector. It is clear there are elements within the sector who were part of the rebellion.”
He, however, said that there was no doubt that the increasing rumours of a Cabinet reshuffle, especially in the security cluster, could become a reality.
Duvenhage said his views were prompted by the ongoing poor relationship between the Minister of Police Bheki Cele and National Commissioner Khehla Sitole.
In his address about the outcomes of the expert panel report, Ramaphosa said: “The expert panel said that if the violence has exposed anything it was the poverty and inequality that is the root cause of the desperation of the people of South Africa.
“The expert panel found that Cabinet must take overall responsibility for the events of July 2021. This is a responsibility that we acknowledge and accept. We will, as recommended by the panel, develop and drive a national response plan to address the weaknesses that the panel has identified.
“We will begin immediately by filling critical vacancies and addressing positions affected by suspensions in the State Security Agency and Crime Intelligence.”
Ramaphosa said he would soon be announcing leadership changes in a number of security agencies to strengthen our security structures.
Political Bureau