President Ramaphosa Enacts Intelligence Reform Law, Restructuring Security Agencies

President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed the General Intelligence Laws Amendment Bill into law, introducing significant reforms to South Africa’s intelligence services with a focus on enhanced oversight and accountability.

The new legislation amends the National Strategic Intelligence Act of 1994, the Intelligence Services Act of 2002, and the Intelligence Services Oversight Act of 1994. A key change under the amendments is the dissolution of the State Security Agency (SSA) as a national government department, replacing it with two distinct entities: the Foreign Intelligence Service (FIS) and the Domestic Intelligence Agency (DIA). The FIS will oversee foreign intelligence operations to assess national security threats and opportunities, while the DIA will focus on counter-intelligence and domestic security threats.

The amendments also re-establish the South African National Academy of Intelligence (SANAI) and the Intelligence Training Institute, strengthening training for both domestic and foreign intelligence capacities.

The legislative overhaul aligns with recommendations from the 2018 Presidential High-Level Review Panel on the SSA and the Zondo Commission’s findings on state capture. Additionally, the law introduces new measures to regulate bulk interception of internet traffic, requiring internal authorisation and court reviews.

Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence will now oversee the financial and operational activities of intelligence agencies, while the Inspector-General of Intelligence and the National Intelligence Coordinating Committee (NICOC) will gain greater administrative autonomy.

These changes mark a major shift in South Africa’s intelligence framework, aiming to enhance accountability and efficiency within the sector.