Cape Town - Hundreds of former state secrets which have long been classified information will be open to the public when a new bill regulating state security information comes into effect.
Concern has been raised by some that the Protection of Information Bill, which is currently before Parliament, will curb media freedom, but State Security Minister Siyabonga Cwele assured journalists on Thursday that the new bill would in effect declassify hundreds of documents filed as classified information when it was enacted.
Currently, state documents which were classed as classified information years ago were destined to remain so inevitably, but the bill for the first time ever sets out to clearly define how classified information can be declassified, he said.
"So I'm sure the media will have a lot of things to write about once that information has been declassified," he said.
However, he said certain information that may undermine state security would remain protected, but that clear guidelines would be given as to why certain information remained classified.
Cwele said he had instructed his department's domestic branch to look into how two members of the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad had allegedly used OR Tambo International Airport to flee from Dubai after carrying out an alleged hit on a Hamas militant in January.
Cwele said the department was liaising with officials in Dubai, adding that there was "no truth" in recent newspaper reports that Mossad agents were operating at OR Tambo International Airport.
"The information we have is that the alleged Mossad agents did not enter South Africa but came to the OR Tambo in transit, so they never entered into the country, they used the airport as a transit. And they did this twice - once earlier before the operation and once after the operation was concluded," said State Security Director-General, Mo Shaik.
Another key focus this year would be on the growing incidence of illicit mining, which Cwele described as a threat to the economy.
Intelligence officials would continue to engage with local communities to cut down on xenophobia and to analyse service delivery protests with the aim of warning authorities on potential hotspots.
Cwele said the department was also working with Afrikaner, Jewish and Muslim leaders in the country to try to curb radicalisation.
The department would also keep a close eye on the situation in Madagascar, following last year's coup there
