ANC top brass and the State Security Agency have been reciting identical and alarming anti-protest rhetoric. They're uncomfortable with marches, such as those carried out this week by the Fees Must Fall movement; they suspect foreign influences of using NGOs and citizens to destabilise the ANC government. What should be making South Africans uncomfortable, is the SSA's interception of telecommunications to keep an eye on protesters, and increased calls for the use of social media surveillance. By HEIDI SWART.
"Rogue NGOs" used by "external forces seeking regime change or colour revolution", are considered a serious threat to government stability in South Africa and the rest of the continent. This was made clear by former State Security minister David Mahlobo at the meeting of the BRICS High Representatives for Security Issues in July this year. In line with this, the minister expressed his support for BRICS initiatives to strengthen "co-operation on NGO management, including improving laws and regulations, upgrading the management level and improving the oversight mechanisms".
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