President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office has denied that there is any link between the leaking of an ANC National Executive Committee meeting audio clip and the subsequent demand for the vetting of the SABC head of news, Moshoeshoe Monare, by the State Security Agency (SSA)

According to a City Press report at the weekend, Monare — who was appointed as SABC chief executive for news in 2022 — received a call from an SSA agent instructing him to subject himself to further security vetting. This came just a week after an audio clip was leaked in which President Cyril Ramaphosa said the ANC was concerned about negative publicity and would challenge such reports.

The SSA’s move on Monare was slammed by the South African National Editors’ Forum, Media Monitoring Africa, SOS Support Public Broadcasting Coalition and the Campaign for Freedom of Expression.

In a joint statement, they called for the Presidency to “join us in condemning this intrusion into the SABC’s affairs. The public deserves transparency and accountability, and we expect the highest office in the land to uphold these principles.

“It is mind-boggling and ridiculous that the request should come when the head of news has occupied the position for nearly two years! It is even more worrying that it comes just a month ahead of elections.”

Read more in Daily Maverick: Elections 2024

Monare himself was reportedly outraged by the SSA’s demand and has refused to make himself available for further vetting.  

Addressing the media on Monday, Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said the Presidency did not discuss vetting matters with the SSA and the agency did not inform the President about people it wanted to vet.

However, Magwenya said, “Mr Monare is not being vetted for the second time — the process that started in 2022 when he joined the SABC has not been completed due to his aversion [to] the polygraph test, which is only one element of the broader vetting process.

“It is not true that Mr Monare is targeted ahead of the elections. The Presidency is also informed that the new SABC Group Chief Executive, Ms Nomsa Chabeli, is currently going through the same vetting process and that the current board of directors of the SABC went through a similar vetting process.

“President Ramaphosa or any part of his administration will never sanction acts of intimidation or harassment of journalists, because such behaviour will stand contrary to sacrosanct adherence to the Bill of Rights that [is] enshrined in our country’s Constitution.”

Proposed BHP Billiton/Anglo American deal

Magwenya also rubbished reports linking the proposed Anglo American/BHP Billiton deal to a lack of confidence in South Africa’s economy and government.

Anglo American recently said it was disposing of some of its assets in the country, including its mines.

Read more in Daily Maverick:  Anglo American board rejects BHP takeover bid 

On Friday, Anglo rejected a $39-billion takeover offer from BHP, conditional on Anglo American divesting its platinum and iron ore businesses in South Africa

Anglo has been operating in South Africa since its establishment in 1917. Some financial analysts said the mining giant’s disposal of its South African operations revealed its lack of confidence in the South African economy.

Magwenya admitted that South Africa had challenges with load shedding and the rail network, but insisted that many companies had heeded calls by the government to invest in South Africa and these investments were starting to create jobs.

“The Presidency has noted with concern the emerging narrative around the proposed BHP Billiton transaction with Anglo American. Some analysts and sections of the media have sought to portray this market activity as a vote of no confidence in South Africa. The Presidency rejects the notion that a commercial approach by BHP Billiton equals to [sic] a hostile environment for investors.

“Some of the issues being cited are in the process of being resolved with the participation and partnership of business. For example, in June 2023, President Cyril Ramaphosa, members of his Cabinet and senior business leaders agreed to establish a partnership to reverse the economic downturn and rebuild confidence in the country’s trajectory. Three priority areas were identified as undermining investor and societal confidence: load shedding, the challenges in the freight logistics sector, and crime and corruption.”

Fighting crime and corruption 

Magwenya said up and running and delivering on its promises was the Joint Initiative on Crime and Corruption established by Ramaphosa to drive collaborative efforts to tackle the most serious forms of crime and corruption and support government efforts to remove South Africa from the Financial Action Task Force grey list.  

“The Joint Initiative on Crime and Corruption is an example of government’s commitment to work with social partners to foster a safer and more ethical South Africa. The first success has been to rebuild the credibility of critical state institutions involved in law enforcement,” he said.

He said some reforms and appointments made since Ramaphosa came to power were bearing fruit.

“The NPA [National Prosecuting Authority] recorded an average conviction rate of 91% in high courts, 82% in regional courts and 95% in district courts since 2019. The NPA Investigating Directorate has taken 34 State Capture and corruption cases to court involving 203 accused persons and 65 entities.

“R14-billion worth of freezing orders have been granted for State Capture-related cases to the NPA’s Asset Forfeiture Unit, with R5.4-billion recovered and returned to the state,” he said.

Magwenya said companies such as Toyota, VW and Mercedes were investing billions of rands in their South African operations, showing their confidence in the country’s economy. DM