The Minister made these remarks during a media briefing in Cape Town on Tuesday, where she released the redacted version of the National Security Strategy (NSS) and the National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) for the sixth administration.

Responding to questions from the media regarding current risks to national security, Ntshavheni revealed that government had identified, among others, the threat of a coup d’état but emphasised that no such attempt had materialised.

“We have listed the risks and remember a risk does not necessarily materialise…You need to identify it and mitigate against it. One of the risks is the risk of coup d’état. We have identified it and put measures to mitigate against it.

“That’s why we say to South Africans, there’s not been anyone attempting to do a coup in South Africa. In the last few days or in the last few weeks, there’s not been anyone. Not that there are not people planning, they are – but we continuously monitoring them and making sure that we deal with those,” the Minister said.

Reinforcing this message, Minister Ntshavheni added that the security cluster is solid and well able to do its work.

“The security cluster is solid, it is able to do its work. There are men and women in various capacities, who continue to work as patriots for the protection of this country and there are men and women in the intelligence services or intelligence community who continue to work to make sure this country is safe. There are men and women in the defence and police services who work for the greater benefit of this country,” she said.

The Minister said government is taking a transparent and proactive approach to national security, noting that the release of the NSS and NIE would allow public engagement and strengthen accountability.

“So, any matters or challenges that confront us, we are a resilient nation, we’ve always found solutions, we’ve always been able to deal with challenges and we’ve addressed them,” the Minister said.

She said the President has taken decisive action by establishing a commission of inquiry with expedited timelines and a clear mandate to report findings to Parliament and the judiciary – further underscoring government’s commitment to transparency and swift action.

“That must give South Africans the comfort that their security is a priority for this government,” the Minister said.

Ntshavheni emphasised that releasing the public version of the National Security Strategy would further empower citizens to understand government’s policy and strategic focus.

“So other countries release the strategies, it will help South Africans to understand, what are we focusing on at the policy and strategy level and how they can also help. We have not given you the full strategy. We have given you what we call the public version of the strategy, because the others that are sensitive are for our implementation and other agencies that we work with. But it’s important that South Africans understand our mandate and what we are focusing on,” she said.

This strategy, she explained, guides the work of the State Security Agency and the broader intelligence community.

“You must hold us accountable – to say what you have set yourself as the pillars of the strategy, what is the progress you are making, including what we call the national intelligence estimates and priorities,” the Minister said.

She further indicated that the Department is open to discussions about national security progress and challenges – both at domestic and foreign levels.

No threats to G20 delegates

Addressing concerns around the safety of G20 delegates as South Africa prepares to host key events ahead of the G20 summit later this year, Minister Ntshavheni assured that there is no single threat to delegates.

“We do threats assessments for all meetings, it doesn’t matter if it’s a Sherpa meeting or a Ministerial meeting. We do threat assessments in time and we mitigate. There has not been any threats coming out in South Africa. The safety and security of the delegates of the G20 is guaranteed,” she said.

The Minister referenced South Africa’s successful hosting of other high-level events in the past, including the BRICS Summit, to affirm the country’s capability to provide secure environments for global engagements.

“It is not the first important meeting that this country has hosted. We have hosted the BRICS Summit with high profile delegates who are mostly at risk, and everybody was safe in this country,” Minister Ntshavheni said.

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The Minister released the National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) 2019 – 2024, the National Intelligence Priorities (NIPs), and the National Security Strategy (NSS) 2024 – 2029 during a media briefing in Cape Town on Tuesday.

The Minister had earlier in the day tabled the 2025 State Security Agency Budget Vote in Parliament.

At the briefing, she underscored that this was the first time in the country’s history that such core national intelligence instruments were being published in a manner that is both transparent and structured, while preserving the integrity of national security.

“It is not only a profound step forward, but a clear paradigm shift in how the intelligence community relates to the State, to Parliament, and to the people,” Ntshavheni said.

The Minister framed the public release of the NIE and NSS as part of a broader shift towards constitutional accountability, transparency and national resilience, in line with Section 198 of the Constitution and the recommendations of the 2018 High-Level Review Panel on the State Security Agency (SSA).

“The release of the NIE, NIPs and NSS represents not only compliance with that directive but a deliberate act of democratic renewal. It is our commitment to building a modern, ethical, and professional intelligence capability, guided by law, oversight, and strategic foresight.

“This is part of our commitment to transform the sector to serve the Constitution, not partisan interests,” she said.

Key threats and priorities identified

The NIE 2019 – 2024 provides a comprehensive assessment of the threats facing the nation, ranging from illegal migration, cybercrime, transnational organised crime, to climate and domestic instability. The Estimate is built around five core themes: threats to the economy, territorial integrity, the authority of the State, citizen well-being, and foreign influences.

The Minister detailed how the National Intelligence Priorities were aligned with government’s Medium-Term Strategic Framework, and focused on challenges such as:

• Countering border-based threats and foreign infiltration in strategic sectors.
• Strengthening cyber forensic capabilities to curb illicit financial flows.
• Investigating threats to South Africa’s sovereign economic capacity.
• Preventing terror financing, drug trafficking, and human smuggling.

On the foreign intelligence front, the focus includes consolidating South Africa’s continental leadership role, defending its interests in multilateral fora, and countering espionage and hostile foreign interference.

A whole-of-society security strategy

Central to the Minister’s announcement was the unveiling of the new National Security Strategy (2024 – 2029), which introduces a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to security.

“The NSS is grounded in the principle that national security is inseparable from human security, economic stability, democratic governance, social justice and above all national interest,” the Minister said.

The strategy is underpinned by eight critical pillars, including:

• Protection of South Africans or Public Security (Well-being of South Africans).
• Protection of Territorial Integrity of the Republic.
• Protection and Projection of the Country’s Sovereignty.
• Protection of the Economy or Economic Security.
• Protection of Cyberspace and the Environment.
• Protection and Promotion of Technology and Innovation.
• Protection of the Environment and Natural Resources or Environmental Security.
• Protection of South Africa’s Culture and Heritage (Cultural Security).

Each pillar speaks to the State’s responsibility to safeguard not only physical borders, but also economic sovereignty, digital resilience and social cohesion.

Intelligence in Service of the People

Ntshavheni emphasised that the publication of these documents is not the end, but rather “the beginning of a new, progressive chapter” in national intelligence.

“We do so in a world of rapidly evolving threats, hybrid warfare, misinformation, climate-induced instability, and shifting geopolitical dynamics. Our national security response must be anticipatory, inclusive, and adaptive,” she said.

She concluded by honouring the national intelligence community and reaffirming the importance of principled intelligence that serves the people and the Constitution, not partisan interests.

“Let history reflect that we chose transparency over secrecy, service over self-interest, and reform over inertia, and this is done within the constraints of our national security interests.

“Let us now work together to protect and advance our democratic gains through intelligence that is principled, professional, and people-centred,” the Minister said.

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The NSS is intended to guide the government’s overall approach to national security, while the NIE assesses the country’s threat landscape and identifies priority risks. The NSS is particularly important given the current lack of a formal white paper meant to guide national security and foreign policy, to crucial aspects required for providing direction to the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). Given SANDF’s current turmoil, the release of NSS is seen as vital by members of parliament, across the political spectrum.

The delay prompted a written parliamentary question from Democratic Alliance MP Chris Hattingh. After an initial inquiry in October 2024, Hattingh posed a follow-up question on 23 May 2025, as to when the NSS or a redacted version would be released and why publication had not occurred since the document’s finalisation.

In her response, Minister Ntshavheni stated that the revision of the release date was due to ongoing consultations and legal guidance regarding the implications of publishing material produced by national intelligence structures. She cited the need to balance constitutional obligations under Section 198 and the National Strategic Intelligence Act (Act 39 of 1994). While affirming her commitment to the release, Ntshavheni said the NSS would be published once these processes were concluded, preferably before her next budget vote speech, which is scheduled for 15 July 2025.

This delay is despite Ntshavheni statement in her 2024 budget speech that the strategy was already approved by Cabinet, following consultation with the National Intelligence Co-ordinating Committee (NICOC) and the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence (JSCI). Further, Ntshavheni noted that “in accordance with the law and best practice,” the NSS would be released in September 2024.

The 2024/25 NIE, which was also expected to be released in August 2024, has similarly not been made public. There has been no formal update on its status or whether a new estimate has since been prepared for the 2025/26 financial year.

The continued non-publication of both documents raises concerns about transparency and accountability in the intelligence sector. While some degree of classification is expected in national security matters, the lack of even a redacted or summarised NSS contrasts with international practices in democratic governance, where strategic frameworks are often published in abridged form to allow public and parliamentary scrutiny.

The delays in publishing the NSS and NIE come amid broader calls for reform and transparency in the intelligence sector, following the recommendations of the High-Level Review Panel on the State Security Agency, which emphasised the need for improved public accountability.

With no new publication date confirmed, attention will likely remain on the Ministry’s commitment to openness and whether these key strategic documents will be released within the current financial year.

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