SSA says intelligence reports into riots will not be disclosed to public yet

The State Security Agency (SSA) says SA must await the parliamentary review process and outcome of the president’s expert panel to learn its input into the unrest in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng in July.

In a statement, the SSA said a Promotion of Access to Information Act (Paia) request had been lodged by the DA, requesting the agency to make its intelligence reports on the riots and looting, which engulfed the two provinces, public.

“The agency has denied the request because due processes by both the Office of the President and parliament are under way to investigate the circumstances leading to the unrest and to assess the response of government to the unrest,” said the SSA.

The SSA’s acting director-general, ambassador Gab Msimanga, said the request by the DA was tantamount to jumping the gun.

“We have made submissions to the joint standing committee on intelligence regarding all of this and the DA is represented in the committee,” he said.