The US Embassy said on Wednesday its security message to its citizens to exercise caution due to terror threats in shopping areas and malls in South Africa was based on specific and credible information. The statement comes as the South African government said the warning was based on “dubious” information‚ adding it had sent a diplomatic protest to foreign embassies over their handling of the alert. The U.S. Embassy in Pretoria confirmed that there is no change in the status of the Security Message issued on Saturday. “The Security Message was based on specific‚ credible‚ and non-counterable threat information‚” the embassy said via its Twitter feed. The security notice on its website issued at the weekend reads: “The U.S. Diplomatic Mission to South Africa informs U.S. citizens that the U.S. Government has received information that terrorist groups are planning to carry out near-term attacks against places where U.S. citizens congregate in South Africa‚ such as upscale shopping areas and malls in Johannesburg and Cape Town. This information comes against the backdrop of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant’s public call for its adherents to carry out terrorist attacks globally during the upcoming month of Ramadan”. Britain and Australia then followed suit‚ updating their travel advisories for citizens travelling to SA.The SA Department of International Relations and Cooperation’s Clayson Monyela‚ however‚ issued a statement voicing the Pretoria government’s displeasure over the manner in which the alerts about South Africa were handled.He said: “The information provided as a basis for the latest terror alerts on South Africa has been found to be very sketchy. On closer examination‚ we have found the information to be dubious‚ unsubstantiated and provided by a ‘walk-in’ source based on questionable conclusions"."It is within this context that the South African government rejects attempts by foreign countries to influence‚ manipulate or control our country’s counter terrorism work. We reject attempts to generate perceptions of government ineptitude‚ alarmist impressions and public hysteria on the basis of a questionable single source.”Responding to the South African government’s complaint about their alert‚ the US Embassy said: “We have been‚ and continue to be‚ pleased and impressed with the high level of professionalism & transparent cooperation w/ SA government".“We cannot comment on the internal communications process within the South African government.“We will continue to work with our counterparts in the SA government going forward.”..