Portia Anyamba, a former South African Air Force brigadier general connected to a State Security Agency official, was recently sentenced to six months in jail in the United States, where she worked at a government science and energy laboratory. She previously pleaded guilty to being a foreign agent and falsifying information while applying for security clearance.

A former South African Air Force brigadier general has been sentenced to jail in the United States (US) for acting as a foreign agent under South African control, thereby violating the law.

Portia Anyamba, 59, also tried to get a US government security clearance but provided false information in the application process.

According to the US, she had been in contact with someone from this country's State Security Agency (SSA), whereas in her security clearance application she stated that she had not had contact with representatives of a foreign government in the past seven years.

The saga has been reported on in the US, but up until now it does not appear to have featured in local news.

'Great career' aspiration to prison term

Anyamba had been working at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

According to its website, it is the US's "largest science and energy laboratory" and it "conducts wide-ranging research to address the nation's energy, environmental and security challenges -- ensuring America's future."

It is unclear what Anyamba was planning in the US as an agent of South Africa.

This week, Daily Maverick sent questions about the case to deputy government spokesperson William Baloyi, who on...