Signal jammers for citizens, open doors for foreign spies

State Security Minister David Mahlobo finally emerged from under his rock yesterday and commented on the global publication of secret State Security Agency documents.

For the past three days the Al Jazeera news network has been revealing to all and sundrywhat our spy agency has been up to, both in and outside the country. The information published has been harmful to South Africa's interests - and outright embarrassing.

The leaked documents allege that our country is being infiltrated and manipulated by foreign agencies.

Mahlobo gave an assurance that an investigation into the leaks was under way .

In the world in which we operate today we have to be on top of our game. Infiltrating and compromising our state security systems should not be a walk in the park.

Now that we have been exposed, the State Security Agency must do what it is employed to do and find out how it happened.

Mahlobo said yesterday that such leaks would "undermine the national security of any state".

It is shocking that some of our most important institutions have had their security measures circumvented with such ease. It is shocking that all of this happened under the noses of our supposedly highly competent security officials.

But today the minister tells us that the "State Security Agency will continue to focus on its mandate to protect and secure the integrity of the country, its citizens and critical infrastructure".

Are we to believe this?

The recent security clampdown in parliament, when signal jammers were activated just before President Jacob Zuma gave his State of the Nation speech, makes one wonder whether our security officials are more concerned about protecting the ANC than the country.

We have seen how ministers and premiers boast of having intelligence dossiers on their political opponents. Intelligence reports often surface in internal ANC battles.

Minister, clean up your house and work at securing the nation's interests for a change.