Inspector-General of Intelligence Imtiaz Fazel has welcomed Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni’s release of the National Security Strategy 2024-29 (NSS) and National Intelligence Estimate 2019-24 (NIE), describing it as “most encouraging”.

Ntshavheni released the reports on Tuesday. The NIE provides a consolidated, evidence-based assessment of the strategic threats, risks, and opportunities facing South Africa. The NSS, which was endorsed in 2024, outlines a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to national security, by embedding intelligence at the core of strategic foresight, resilience-building, and crisis prevention. 

Fazel described the release of the reports as government taking the public into its confidence on the country’s security system.

“In conducting independent oversight of the Intelligence Services, we are committed to helping to restore public confidence in the security system, as well as ensuring the effectiveness and accountability of the Services through ethical and effective intelligence oversight,” said Fazel.

He said the move by government to release the reports needed to be supported, stating that security was the responsibility of all citizens. 

The NSS points to an increase in threats to global security, including human-induced climate change that continues to pose a threat to global livelihoods and further impacts on the stability of many countries in different regions.

It notes that South Africa remains a stable country, however, it faces several potential threats to its national security and interests.

The country’s NSS illustrates the capabilities and resources needed to address these challenges towards promoting and protecting the country’s national interests and security.

“South Africa must remain prepared to engage the Southern African region, the African continent, and the world as the international environment becomes uncertain, complex and ambiguous, and marred with border disputes, intra-State conflicts, violent extremism, and proxy wars amongst others,” it highlighted.

The report said risks to the country’s national security through instability and insecurity were the underpinning, causal issues that if unmitigated led to compromised national security.

The NSS noted factors that undermined the integrity and functioning of the State and imposed physical vulnerability for citizens as threats to the country’s national security.

It warned that other threats to national security included changes in technology, antimicrobial resistance, a range of cyber-related threats, acquisition of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, advanced conventional weapons by State and non-State actors, and chemical and biological attacks against South Africa or its forces.

The report advised a culture of preparedness across all levels of society and it encouraged citizens to guard against complacency.

“…my Office regards the public as an important stakeholder in holding the Intelligence Services to account. We trust that this is the first of many steps in encouraging public participation in the deliberation and discourse on Security and Intelligence in South Africa. As citizens we can participate constructively in combatting crime and the other security threats which threaten our collective well-being,” Fazel said.

The NSS further noted that the capacity to counter threats to national security also lay outside of the State.

“…the private sector has a crucial role in countering threats, especially to the economy, to the citizens and to the peace. Civil society, in its broadest sense, is also a key capacity for countering threats. Political formations, community organisations, NGOs, religious organisations, academia, the media and many others have a critical role to play in countering threats to national security,” it said.

South Africa’s NSS was intrinsically linked to the political, economic, social and strategic transformation of the Southern African Development Community region and the whole of Africa, through the African Union, as well as the rest of the world, it pointed out.

The changing international environment was also very significant for the country’s NSS, with the report noting that the country must focus on its ability to influence emerging risks and capitalise on opportunities.

“The changing environment will also require consistent and creative bilateral engagement to reinforce South Africa’s efforts in multilateral relations. There is therefore, a need to forge stronger partnerships with countries in the region. The NSS emphasises the need for insightful intelligence and collaboration in all spheres. More than any other activity of government, national security must integrate with domestic policies. There is a need for an effective continuum, starting from the welfare of the people through a favourable business environment and good governance up to the international arena,” it said.