At the heart of Fulcrum Analytics’ offerings is a custom-built system that provides real-time incident mapping, risk monitoring, patrol route planning, and object detection via computer vision. The system is actively deployed on luxury vessels sailing in the Indian ocean and integrates seamlessly with drone and sensor-based tracking tools. Users can create geofenced risk areas, file incident reports, generate dynamic patrol routes, and receive threat alerts based on aggregated data feeds, all backed by encrypted local storage solutions rather than cloud-based servers.

Their bespoke black-box technology supports offline data collection and analysis, ensuring operational resilience and data sovereignty. “Nothing is cloud-hosted,” Swart confirmed, noting that all data is encrypted using AES-256 protocols and stored on proprietary hardware. The system allows mission playback, object recognition in CCTV footage, and health monitoring via wearables, used by anti-poaching units and explored for firefighting and mining operations.

Fulcrum’s tracking tech offers GPS-independent location tracking with 5–10 cm accuracy, vital in underground mining or maritime applications. Its capability extends to tracking vital signs such as heart rate, oxygen saturation, and sleep cycles using Bluetooth-enabled wearables. These are now being considered for deployment in tactical teams, convoys, and field hospitals.

Drone integration is central to Fulcrum’s maritime offering. Autonomous drones can launch from vessels, scan risk areas for threats such as piracy, and relay findings back to the captain’s bridge. Higher-tier solutions include surveillance robots sourced from China, deployed for routine perimeter monitoring.

Beyond the tech, Fulcrum Analytics offers a comprehensive intelligence training arm. Courses cover crime intelligence analysis, informant recruitment and management, counterintelligence, open-source intelligence, surveillance, and information security, many of which are taught to both private sector clients and public agencies. “We identified a major skills gap in intelligence handling,” said Swart. “We’re training private security and law enforcement in real-world intelligence work, including agent handling, counter-surveillance, and digital forensics.”

Swart emphasised the real-world applicability and rigour of Fulcrum’s curricula, which have been developed with input from former state security instructors and special forces veterans. Course fees range from R900 to R5,000 depending on complexity, with offerings available in-person or via distance learning.

Looking ahead, Fulcrum aims to scale both its hardware, notably its ERP platform and tracking devices, and its intelligence training programmes. Swart envisions wider deployment in mines, logistics, maritime, and emergency response, with one eye on ethical application. “We aim to use our systems for the greater good,” he said. “But we know the realities of the sector. Not all clients will use it that way.”

Fulcrum Analytics operates under a self-hosted, tightly controlled data framework, allowing seamless integration with third-party APIs while ensuring client confidentiality. Upcoming features include live weather integration for insurance claims and sentiment tracking of organisations across media channels.

As South Africa confronts rising logistical and security challenges, Fulcrum Analytics is positioning itself as a critical node in the nation’s risk management and intelligence infrastructure.

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Addressing concerns about the potential detriment to national security due to downsizing and the removal of seasoned intelligence staff, Minister Ntshavheni confirmed that the SSA’s human resources policy prioritises ongoing intakes into its cadet programme. This, she said, is designed to ensure a continuous pipeline of new talent within the agency.

According to the Minister, additional efforts are being made through the Intelligence Academy and the SSA’s bursary scheme to formalise training initiatives and identify critical skills shortages. These include mentoring, coaching, job shadowing, and other workplace learning initiatives aimed at addressing both current and future leadership, functional, and technology-related skills gaps.

A succession plan is currently in place, particularly for senior management roles, the Minister added.

On the issue of staff reductions, Minister Ntshavheni clarified that the Voluntary Severance Package (VSP) programme was introduced as part of a wider restructuring effort. This restructuring follows the recommendations of the High-Level Review Panel Report, which called for a redefinition of the agency’s mandate, improved personnel management, and the modernisation of its operations.

She stressed that the VSP initiative is aligned with the government’s early retirement scheme, announced during the October 2024 mid-term budget by the Minister of Finance. All VSP applications, she noted, are voluntary but subject to approval or rejection based on the agency’s operational needs.

While the Minister’s reply outlines a clear strategy for talent development and organisational reform, it does not directly address whether any non-financial factors are contributing to the removal of experienced personnel, beyond the general references to modernisation and restructuring. Critics may question whether these measures sufficiently mitigate the potential risks of losing institutional knowledge in a volatile global security environment.

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Responding to a series of questions from NCOP members, Minister Ntshavheni stated that the SSA had completed a full-scale internal skills audit to assess personnel competencies. “The skills audit has helped to clarify the skills and competency gaps within the agency,” she said. “It has supported the need for a skills refresh through both training and retraining, voluntary service packages, and alternative redeployment.”

The audit, she explained, was followed by the implementation of training programmes targeting core capabilities, including data science, cyber analysis, and intelligence tradecraft. “We need skills in data science and related fields. The recruitment process will close those gaps,” she noted, adding that career-pathing and succession planning frameworks were being finalised to support longer-term professional development.

Ntshavheni confirmed that with the General Intelligence Laws Amendment Bill (GILAB) being signed into law, the road has been paved for the structural separation of domestic and foreign intelligence branches within the SSA. However, she stressed that the two new entities were not yet operational. “They will only start to operate on the day that will be proclaimed by the President,” she said. “We are working to ensure that all necessary regulations are in place before the proclamation to mitigate risk and ensure accountability.”

She emphasised that while the agency is undergoing reconfiguration, it is not being dismantled, “There is neither a dissolution of existing structures nor the establishment of new entities, but an organisational reconfiguration of the SSA to enhance operational, strategic, and organisational efficiency.”

This process, she said, had been benchmarked against international best practices. “A team was appointed to study global intelligence models, and we were fortunate that this benchmarking work was completed before the amendment bill was finalised.”

In response to concerns over transparency and past political interference, the Minister reiterated that oversight of the intelligence sector remains with the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence (JSCI) and the Inspector-General of Intelligence. “The JSCI has completed an induction at the SSA head office, and feedback indicates satisfaction with the level of disclosure,” she said. “We are also finalising internal regulations that will govern accountability and performance.”

When pressed about internal resistance to change, Ntshavheni acknowledged the challenge but stated that steps were being taken to address it. “We’ve appointed a dedicated change management officer to engage with staff and management,” she explained. “Management swaps have also been introduced to prevent the perception of purges, and we are using alternative deployment mechanisms so staff do not feel discarded but rather repurposed.”

She reported improved cooperation from within the agency, particularly among junior ranks: “Intelligence officers below management level have been very supportive of the changes, especially those recommended by the Zondo Commission and High-Level Review Panel.”

The Minister clarified that the SSA does not have arrest powers but contributes by collecting and sharing intelligence with law enforcement. “Our duty is to identify and profile syndicates so that the police do not just shoot in the dark,” she said. “We hand over what we gather to SAPS and other agencies.”

SSA, she explained, participates in the National Priority Crimes Operational Committee (NPCOC) and is part of the team developing a national integrated strategy to combat transnational organised crime. The strategy is expected to be finalised by September 2025.

She also confirmed that SSA is working closely with the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC), the Financial Sector Conduct Authority, the Reserve Bank, and the banking industry to address money laundering, suspicious transactions, and criminal use of crypto-assets. “We have a solid working relationship in this environment,” she said.

Ntshavheni stated that SSA is actively monitoring political movements and support groups, both foreign and domestic, that may pose a risk to national security. “We are vigilant against disinformation campaigns, cyber operations, and ideological influences that could destabilise public trust in democratic institutions,” she said.

When asked about the spread of narratives that allegedly incite racial division or foreign intervention, she confirmed that “law enforcement agencies are investigating acts of treason relating to false information being spread internationally.” She acknowledged the need for better regulation of civil society organisations while affirming that constitutional freedoms would be respected. “The transformation of governance frameworks will not infringe on civil liberties but will strengthen oversight of nonprofit organisations,” she said.

Concluding her remarks, the Minister said that many of the reforms aim to institutionalise accountability mechanisms. “We are working to ensure that governance improvements are not tied to a particular minister but embedded within the system,” she stated. “People who hold the appropriate skills do not owe their position to anyone, and that helps depoliticise the agency.”

The Minister also highlighted the importance of performance management frameworks and regulatory clarity: “Accountability will no longer depend on favours. It will be guided by regulations and operational directives that bring certainty to how intelligence work is executed.”

While noting that reform is ongoing, she affirmed that capacity exists within the SSA to support current operations: “We are not yet where we want to be, but we are on track.”

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The General Intelligence Laws Amendment Bill signed on Friday is the basis for significant reforms of South Africa’s intelligence services that will be accompanied by improved oversight and accountability.

In a statement, the Presidency said the amendment Act amends the National Strategic Intelligence Act of 1994, the Intelligence Services Act of 2002, and the Intelligence Services Oversight Act of 1994.

“Among other reforms, the amendment Act disestablishes the current State Security Agency as a national government department and replaces it with two separate departments.

“The new departments are the Foreign Intelligence Service (FIS) which shall be responsible for foreign intelligence gathering so as to identify opportunities and threats to National Security, and the Domestic Intelligence Agency (DIA) which shall be responsible for counter-intelligence as well as the gathering of domestic intelligence in order to identify threats to National Security,” the Presidency said.

The amendment Act also re-establishes the South African National Academy of Intelligence (SANAI) and Intelligence Training Institute for both Domestic and Foreign Intelligence capacities.

The wide-ranging amendments constitute implementation of the recommendations of the 2018 Presidential High-Level Review Panel on the State Security Agency (SSA) and of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture, Corruption and Fraud in the Public Sector (the Zondo Commission).

“The law also addresses concerns about bulk interception by intelligence services of internet traffic entering or leaving South Africa, by introducing new measures including authorisation within the intelligence services as well as court reviews of such interception,” the statement read.

The law provides for the administration, financial management and expenditure of the intelligence service entities to be within the ambit of the oversight of the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence – a multiparty committee of Parliament that processes public complaints about the intelligence services and monitors the finances and operations of these services.

The newly enacted amendments also provide for greater autonomy for the Inspector-General of Intelligence and the National Intelligence Coordinating Committee (NICOC) in making administrative and functional decisions.

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It has been reported that the Minister instructed approximately 200 senior SSA officials that they must retire early or face dismissal. Further reports suggest that a similar ultimatum will be extended to the rest of the SSA’s staff in the near future.

The DA has expressed concern that this blanket policy could result in the loss of valuable intelligence expertise within the SSA, without evaluating the individual contributions of its employees. Without the protections of the Labour Relations Act, SSA staff may have limited recourse in challenging this decision, Democratic Alliance spokesperson on state security, Dianne Kohler Barnard, said.

In response to the findings of the Zondo Commission of Inquiry into State Capture, which revealed significant misconduct within the SSA, the DA has reiterated its call for the disbandment of the agency. It advocates for the creation of a fully independent, efficient, and transparent state security agency that operates free from political interference, the party said in a statement. “The DA also emphasizes the need for strengthened parliamentary oversight of national security matters.”

The DA further points out that, to date, no arrests or recoveries have been made regarding the SSA’s mismanagement during the presidency of Jacob Zuma. Despite the exposure of corruption within the agency, the SSA has yet to effectively address internal misconduct or rebuild its operations.

While the DA acknowledges the need for reform within the SSA, it argues that the mass retirement or retrenchment of hundreds of employees, without assessing their individual qualifications or involvement in past wrongdoing, may be a disproportionate response. The DA stresses that each employee’s expertise, performance, and potential links to corruption should be considered before making such sweeping decisions.

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George had asked Minister Nshavheni which steps had been taken “taken to reverse the amalgamation,” of the State Security Agency (SSA). The question was based on the findings by Health Literacy Research and Practice into the SSA in 2018, which stated “the amalgamation of National Intelligence Agency and South African Secret Service into the SSA did not achieve its purported objectives and was contrary to existing policy.”

In her response, Minister Nshavheni noted the “process to amend the laws is done through the General Intelligence Laws Amendment Bill, which has been passed by parliament namely the National Assembly and is now awaiting the President to sign the Bill into law.”

Further, she reiterated the Government’s full commitment to “the process of reversing the amalgamation.”

“The Agency, through the GILAB Implementation Task Team, have already developed a high-level structural design of both the South African Intelligence Service (Foreign Service) and South African Intelligence Agency (Domestic Service). Once the Bill is enacted into legislation, the President will appoint the Directors-General of the two new Departments, who may further refine the proposed structures and make determinations on the priority areas for capacitation taking into consideration budgetary implications,” said Minister Nshavheni.

On 15 July 2024, Minister Nshavheni announced during the SSA Budget Vote, that she intended to release the National Security Strategy in September 2024, “in accordance with the law and best practice.”

Cabinet had further reportedly approved the 2024/25 National Intelligence Estimate (NIE), which was prepared by the National Intelligence Co-ordinating Committee (NICOC) alongside the Joints Standing Committee on Intelligence (JSCI). The NIE “provides an analysis of the prevailing threats to national security and [classifies] them according to severity and priority for implementation.” Minister Ntshavheni stated that once the JSCI of the 7^th administration had been established, a progress report of the implementation would be handed over and followed by the release of the 2024/25 NIE in August 2024.

However, as of 22 October 2024, neither the NIE or the National Security Strategy have been released.

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To date, the completed recommendations notably include the re-establishment of the National Security Council (NSC), and a thorough audit of all the SSA’s technological assets and the development a consolidated asset register. The pre-SDP structure has been re-instituted, but the restructuring of the Agency has been suspended, until the restructuring task team completes its work in preparation of the implementation of the General Intelligence Laws and Amendments Bill (GILAB 2024). Management and staff displaced by SDP process have either been reinstated or are gainfully deployed.

The vision and mission, scope and structure of a national intelligence training and education capacity is under review, and the SSA is developing an appropriate career advancement protocol. Further, the agency is developing exit options for existing staff.

“The education, training and development of intelligence officers should ensure extensive knowledge and understanding of the constitutional, legislative and other prescripts relating to intelligence as well as the definition of, and procedures for dealing with manifestly illegal orders,” said Minister Ntshavheni.

Ntshavheni stated that senior appointments, “including those of Deputy Directors-General, should be made in accordance with the Recruitment and Appointment Directives and Regulations, as is the norm in government.”

“While the prerogative to appoint a head of service/s should remain with the President, such appointment should follow a similar process as currently being undertaken for the appointment of the National Director of Public Prosecutions or as recommended in Chapter 13 of the National Development Plan,” added Ntshavheni

Furthermore, the Minister revealed the Agency would conduct an urgent policy review of the Agency’s security vetting mandate, and “urgently institute a major project to plan for and resource a medium- to long-term recapitalisation of the Agency’s technological capacities.”

Drafting of the new National Security Strategy is also underway, with staff being consulted on the changes emerging out of review recommendations.

The Minister called for the ministries of State Security and Justice to “urgently attend to the strengthening of the capacity of the judicial authority established in terms of RICA and the expediting of the review of the RICA legislation.”

The SSA is further exploring idea of a dedicated capacity for the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence (JSCI) and the establishment of the intelligence coordination mechanisms through regulations.

“The remaining recommendations will be implemented as soon as the GILAB becomes law. When the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence is set up, I commit to brief the Committee on progress that has been made in implementing the remedial actions,” said Ntshavheni.

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The SSA was “strengthened under the 6^th administration” to enable effective fulfillment of its mandate, following calls for reform from the Zondo commission, which highlighted various weaknesses in the agency, such as its unlawful consolidation of domestic and foreign intelligence branches. This resulted in the General Intelligence Laws Amendment Bill, which some have viewed with concern, but is aimed at addressing the SSA’s weaknesses, to “create organisational focus by splitting the domestic and foreign services to separate departments.”

The Bill was handed to President Cyril Ramaphosa on 16 May, and has yet to be signed into law, but Minister Nsthavheni stated that the SSA has “commenced with preparations for the full implementation of the amendments.” These preparations include the development of the National Security Strategy, which was created in consultation with the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence (JSCI) and approved by cabinet in the previous financial year. The National Security Strategy is intended to guide the SSA’s work and “approach to protection of national security and the promotion of national security interests.”

Minister Nshavheni intends to release the National Security Strategy in September 2024, “in accordance with the law and best practice.” The JSCI of the 6^th administration had also worked with the SSA to finalise and gazette the “first ever regulations on the co-ordination of intelligence.” These regulations are intended to improve the sharing and co-ordination of intelligence to enable effective promotion and protection of national security.

Cabinet has reportedly approved the 2024/25 National Intelligence Estimate (NIE), which was prepared by the National Intelligence Co-ordinating Committee (NICOC) alongside the JSCI. The NIE “provides an analysis of the prevailing threats to national security and [classifies] them according to severity and priority for implementation.” Minister Ntshavheni stated that once the JSCI of the 7^th administration has been established, a progress report of the implementation will be handed over. This will be followed by the release of the 2024/25 NIE in August 2024.

The Minister noted that there would likely concerns about the release of intelligence but added that “they are required by law to be released, it has just not been practiced in our country.”

Among the threats facing South Africa, Minister Ntshavheni listed organised crime, terrorism and “unregulated immigration,” calling the urgent need to strengthen borders. Organised criminal syndicates pose a much larger risk to “stability, development and national security”, with the Minister stating that these entities “masquerade as business forums and other development seeking forums.”

Climate change is viewed as a major threat to food and water security, with Minister Ntshavheni noting that it continues to threaten national security. “How the country and the world respond to this will have an impact on global security.”

The rising cyber threat facing South Africa has required the SSA to priorities specialised skills to enable “agility and proactive response.” To strengthen cyber security, the Minister reported that the SSA was “hard at work building and strengthening our capability and capacity to proactively combat emerging cyber threats.” The implementation of the National Cyber Security Policy Framework would be accelerated in this regard, along with recapacitating of the National Communication Centre. Minister Ntshavheni promised to commence with the legislative process for the Cyber Security Bill before the end of the financial year.

Referring to data as “the new gold,” the Minister revealed that the National Intelligence Academy is considering the possibility of establishment of a data institute, aiming to not only serve the intelligence community but “broader society.”

One aspect missing from the Minister’s budget speech was details regarding the size of the SSA’s budget. This information is typically classified but the Minister noted that there has been a 10% decline in the budgetary baseline for 2024/25. Furthermore, it was noted that this decrease has been continuous since the 2021/22 financial year, but the department “[remained] committed to work within the allocation of current resources and leverage.”

The department remained further committed to addressing corruption, with the Minister stating they would “continue to work with the Hawks to make sure that those who have defrauded the SSA or conducted inferus [sic] and illicit and illegal operations within the environment are taken to task.”

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