The Walter and Albertina Sisulu Foundation has delivered a stinging rebuke to Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni over her recent claims regarding “potential coup risks” detected by South Africa’s security services. The foundation branded her comments as “deeply irresponsible, dangerous, and, in the current political climate, reckless in the extreme.”
The criticism followed Ntshavheni’s remarks during a media briefing where she presented the budget vote for the State Security Agency in the National Assembly. During her statement, she referenced the National Intelligence Estimate and a redacted National Security Strategy which purportedly identified a potential coup d’état as a significant national security threat. “You need to identify and mitigate against it,” she emphasised, outlining measures taken to counter this purported risk.
Ntshavheni clarified that while there had been no recent coup attempts, she implied the existence of individuals planning such actions, asserting, “We continuously monitor them and make sure we deal with them.” However, her assertions raised eyebrows, particularly during an already tense political period marked by significant upheaval within the government hierarchy.
The foundation noted that these comments come at a politically charged time, particularly following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision to place Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, a close ally, on special paid leave amid allegations of political interference and obstruction of justice. “Mchunu’s suspension followed explosive claims by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, who bravely revealed a web of collusion between police leadership, political elites, and organised criminal syndicates,” the foundation stated.
Critically, the Sisulu Foundation alleged that instead of addressing the serious allegations plaguing Mchunu and the police ministry with clarity and urgency, the government had resorted to what it deemed a dangerous diversion tactic—evoking the spectre of a coup to deflect public scrutiny. “What better distraction than the spectre of a coup?” they queried.
Furthermore, they warned that such statements could undermine national stability and investor confidence. “For a senior cabinet minister to casually mention ‘potential coup risks’ without any supporting detail risks inciting fear and breeding suspicion,” they articulated. “It projects instability, even where none may exist.”
The foundation expressed concern that Ntshavheni’s vague language could unintentionally undermine Mkhwanazi, the whistleblower whose revelations have ignited public discourse. “Her ominous language, unaccompanied by evidence or clarification, could feed speculation that the commissioner himself could be viewed as a threat—a dangerously defamatory insinuation,” they noted.
Moreover, the foundation stated that if Ntshavheni’s comments were intended to distract from accountable governance, they could constitute a violation of her constitutional oath, which mandates her to serve with integrity and uphold the Constitution.
The foundation’s statement called for immediate action from Parliament. “Ntshavheni must be called to account for her statements. If she has the intelligence to substantiate her remarks, she must provide it. If she does not, then her words should be withdrawn—and censured,” they asserted. “The legislature must reclaim its oversight function and reassert the supremacy of constitutional order over political theatre.”