SA has ability to keep citizens safe – cabinet
‘Report suspicious activity to agencies’
The SA government has assured citizens the country is well-equipped to deal with any security threats, including terrorism.
This emerged at the cabinet meeting held on Tuesday, after which the government assured citizens there was no need to panic.
According to a cabinet statement on Wednesday, the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure, through the State Security Agency (SSA), SA Police Service (SAPS) and the SA National Defence Force (SANDF), were hard at work to keep the country safe.
Cabinet urged all South Africans to report suspicious activity to these agencies because the safety of the country was everyone’s responsibility.
The statement comes after the drama last week when the US embassy in SA issued an alert to Americans residing in Sandton warning of a “possible” terrorist attack last weekend.
The government said South Africa also benefited from intelligence shared by other countries such as the US.
“Cabinet has reassured the public that the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (Natjoints) – which comprises various government departments led by the SSA, SAPS and SANDF – has an intelligence-driven capacity to deal with threats to our national security, including terrorism,” read a statement issued by cabinet on Wednesday.
“Through Natjoints, the security of the country is assessed regularly for any possible security threat.
“As part of the co-operation agreements with other intelligence agencies from other countries, SA also benefits from the exchange of relevant intelligence information that can ensure the safety of the nation.
“Cabinet calls on the public to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious and illegal activities to law enforcement agencies. Do not keep quiet; if you see something, say something. Together we can keep the nation safe.”