The State of the Nation Address (Sona) could be targeted but a security expert on Wednesday said that matters were in hand.
Security is expected to be tighter than usual for Thursday’s address by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
It comes just six months since the July riots in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, sparked by former President Jacob Zuma’s jailing for contempt.
Parts of Parliament were burned down under mysterious circumstances in January.
There was a fire at the Waterkloof Air Force Base and a break-in at the State Security Agency’s Musanda headquarters.
These incidents may not be linked, said security expert Dr Johan Burger, but were likely to be top of mind for those charged with ensuring Sona goes according to plan.
The Institute For Security Studies’ Burger said that there was no conclusive evidence the different security breaches were linked.
“But it is worrying in the sense that purely on the suspicion that these things may be linked, one would be worried that the Sona could be targeted,” Burger said.
However, he said that the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure, known as NATJoints, had a good track record in managing top-security events, with effective operational plans and deployments.
“So yes, there is a possible risk in view of what happened over the last few months, but I am confident that NATJoints would be able to deal with the situation effectively,” Burger said.
-EWN
In other news – More touching photos of popular actor Hugh Masebenza on the streets emerge – Mzansi reacts
You may recognize his face from a popular Savanna TV advert or from one of his many TV roles. But Hugh Masebenza looks a lot different these days, if recent pictures of the star are to be believed.
According to a number of tweeps, Hugh Masebenza is now homeless and living on the streets of Johannesburg and Pretoria. Over the weekend, pictures of the actor living in squalor on the streets went viral. Learn More
