- Former SSA director-general Sonto Kudjoe has been appointed secretary for defence.
- Current defence secretary Sam Gulube will retire at the end of July – and Kudjoe will start on 1 August.
- Kudjoe also served as South Africa’s ambassador to Sweden and Egypt.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed former State Security Agency (SSA) boss Sonto Kudjoe as the new secretary for defence.
Defence and Military Veterans Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula announced Kudjoe’s appointment during a mini plenary to debate her department’s adjustment budget in the National Assembly on Thursday.
Current defence secretary Sam Gulube will retire at the end of this month, with Kudjoe starting on 1 August, Mapisa-Nqakula told MPs.
“I wish to conclude by honouring the secretary for defence, Dr. Sam Gulube, who is officiating in his last Defence Budget Vote, having been at the helm since 2012.
“He has also harnessed the Justice Crime Prevention and Security Cluster as well as leading senior officials in support of the cluster and all of government.
“He has also been leading in the fight against Covid-19 and completes 45 years of service to the people as he goes into retirement,” she said.
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In 2016, Kudjoe quit the country’s spy agency.
She took over as SSA director-general in 2013, following her time at the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco), where she held several senior positions.
Kudjoe also served as South Africa’s ambassador to Sweden between 2002 and 2006, and Egypt from 2006 to 2010.
At the time of Kudjoe’s departure, News24 reported that it came in the wake of some turbulent years at the SSA.
Her predecessor, Jeff Maqetuka, resigned in 2013 after four years in the job.
Maqetuka, Gibson Njenje, the former head of domestic intelligence, and Moe Shaik, the former head of foreign intelligence, reportedly resigned together, after being ordered to halt an investigation into the Gupta family.
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Mapisa-Nqakula also thanked the outgoing Armscor board of directors for their service.
Steps are under way for the appointment of a new board of directors, she said.
The Castle of Good Hope was also given R3 million as relief during the national lockdown.
“(The department) responded generously and transferred relief funding of R3 million to the Castle, to enable it to sustain itself with the advent of loss of income from the national lockdown and to cover the staff’s salaries and some of their operations.
“This will shore them up until the end of the current financial year,” Mapisa-Nqakula said.
