DA seeks to change way spy chief is appointed
Bill seeks to prescribe a procedure by which SSA DG is appointed
John Steenhuisen DA chief whip
IF THINGS go the way of the DA, there will be a bill which will require an ad hoc committee to handle the appointment of the State Security Agency’s director-general.
This emerged in a notice published last Thursday announcing the intention of the DA chief whip John Steenhuisen to introduce a private member’s bill on intelligence-related issues.
This happens as President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to make an urgent announcement on the capability of the agency .
The notice said that Steenhuisen would introduce the General Intelligence Laws Amendment Bill in Parliament during the first quarter of the year.
Steenhuisen said intelligence-related legislation contained several legislative gaps that could readily be manipulated or abused by elements of the State Security Agency.
He said if the gaps were combined with certain shortcomings in the Regulation of Interception of Communications and Provision of Communication-Related Information Act, such abuse posed a threat to the privacy of all South Africans.
“The processes regulating the authorisation of interception are further rife for abuse and misrepresentation and must be addressed to ensure a process that is fair and limited only to those instances where interception cannot be avoided,” he said.
Steenhuisen also said the intended bill sought to regulate the collection of signals intelligence, limiting the functions of the SSA and regulating the sharing of collected information.
“It will further seek to amend RICA to broaden the reporting obligation of the designated judge and various government role-players in their authorisation and use of interception.”
The bill will also allow for the appointment of at least three designated judges to deal with interception applications, while requiring that an approach be followed that such applications should not be granted unless compelling reasons exist that they should.
Last, the bill seeks to prescribe a procedure by which the director-general of the SSA is appointed, which will require the nomination and vetting of candidates, with all shortlisted being scrutinised by an ad hoc parliamentary selection committee.
The president would retain the constitutional authority to appoint a candidate.