By Dylan Bettencourt
- The Minister in the Presidency says the government found signs that people were planning a coup to take over the country.
- Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said South Africa is safe and that the threats have been dealt with.
Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni has revealed that people were planning a possible coup against the government.
Speaking during the State Security Agency’s budget vote in Parliament, Ntshavheni said the security cluster had picked up signs that people might try to take over the government. But she said the threat has been dealt with.
“There is a potential risk of a coup. We have identified it and put measures in place to stop it,” she said. “No one has attempted a coup in South Africa in recent days or weeks.”
She said the July 2021 riots taught them lessons, and law enforcement agencies are now more ready to deal with uprisings and protests before they become dangerous.
Ntshavheni told South Africans not to worry. “The president is concerned about national security. That’s why he demanded urgent answers and timelines from the commission,” she said.
She also dismissed fears of trouble caused by President Cyril Ramaphosa’s handling of the fight involving KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
Last week, Mkhwanazi accused Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and top police boss Shadrack Sibiya of messing with police work. He said they shut down a task force and got involved in crime intelligence.
Opposition parties have demanded action and civil society groups are supporting Mkhwanazi.
But Ntshavheni said these claims won’t shake the system. “There are men and women working hard in the intelligence services to protect this country,” she said.
Pictured above: Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni.
Image source: @Khu_Ntshavheni
