Mixed reactions from opposition parties on Shaik’s appointment

By Ofentse Mokae
03 October 2009

Opposition parties have reacted with uncertainty the appoint of Mo Shaik, bother to convicted fraudster Schabir Shaik, as head of the South African Secret Service.

The announcement on Shaik’s appointment was made by State Security minister Siyabonga Cwele.

Cwele said he would take over the reigns with immediate effect.

Opposition parties had mixed reactions on Shaik’s appointment.
The Democratic Alliance came strong, attributing Shaik’s as putting King Herod in charge of a crèche.
In a statement the DA’s shadow minister of state security Theo Coetzee says President Zuma could not have found anyone less competent, or more hopelessly partisan, for this job.
“This appointment has clearly been made to consolidate the Zuma faction’s hold over the South African intelligence community,” Coetzee said.
“As Congress of the People we are not surprised to hear about the appointment of Mr Shaik, we know his a close political ally of the president,” said COPE’s Phillip Dexter.
The DA further said this will mean that the intelligence community will be used to pursue partisan battles, to an even greater degree than it has in the past.
Other appointment made by Cele also is that of Mzuvukile Maqetuka who would be the State Security Agency’s new director general.
Gibson Njenje was appointed as the new head of the National Intelligence Agency.
The minister said there would be closer cooperation between the secret service and the NIA in future as the country’s various intelligence agencies were reorganised into a State Security Agency.
“The National Intelligence Agency and South African Secret Service will continue to operate within the terms of their mandates but within a more integrated manner.”