ABOUT NIA

The Government needs to be constantly informed on the nature of threats to domestic security. The task of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) is to inform the Government on developments within the sphere of domestic security.

Vision

Intelligence - central to security, development and prosperity

Mission

To provide critical and unique intelligence that alerts government and its partners of threats and opportunities.
To ensure a secure environment that will promote and foster government initiatives geared to attain and sustain a society free from fear and want.
To develop and nurture a professional and dedicated workforce that is beyond reproach.

Credo

Ito la lushaka (Venda, meaning Eye of the Nation)

Negotiations were held in 1994 on a new intelligence dispensation for South Africa which resulted in the amalgamation of the following intelligence organisations: National Intelligence Service (NIS), Department of Intelligence and Security (DIS), Pan Africanist Security Service (PASS) and the intelligence structures of the Transkei, Bophuthatswana, Venda and Ciskei (TBVC-States). The National Intelligence Agency (NIA), the South African Secret Service (SASS) and the National Intelligence Co-ordinating Committee (NICOC) functioning as the co-ordinating mechanism between all members of the Intelligence Community, were officially established on 01 January 1995.

The challenge of creating a secure environment for all South Africans has not abated with the establishment of a democratic government. NIA has therefore been established as a function of government to serve the purpose of national security. NIA is subservient to the interests of the State and the well-being of all its inhabitants. In the adoption of a new intelligence framework for South Africa cognisance was therefore taken of the need both to protect South Africans from threats to their security and to preserve their fundamental freedom.

The National Strategic Intelligence Act of 1994 defines the primary functions of NIA as being to gather, correlate, evaluate and analyse domestic intelligence to:

identify any threat or potential threat to the security of the Republic or its people;
supply intelligence regarding any such threat to the National Intelligence Co-ordinating Committee (NICOC);
gather departmental intelligence at the request of any interested department of state and without delay to transmit such intelligence that constitutes departmental intelligence to the relevant department;
fulfil the national counter-intelligence responsibility and for this purpose to conduct and co-ordinate counter-intelligence to gather, correlate, evaluate, analyse and interpret information regarding counter-intelligence to identify any threat or potential threat to the security of the Republic or its people;
inform the President of any such threat;
supply (where necessary) intelligence relating to any such threat to the South African Police Services (SAPS) for the purposes of investigating any offence or alleged offence.

In view of these functions, NIA is responsible for the following:

To fulfil a proactive, anticipatory or early warning role of scanning and assessing the total (economic, social, political and environmental) domestic security situation to identify and report to the policy maker or executive departments any signs or warning signals of threats or potential threats to the constitutional order and the safety of the people.

To perform a reactive monitoring role of tracking events when a threat/crime has been identified or a crisis has already arisen, without duplication of the role of other executive departments. The purpose of this monitoring role is mainly to enhance investigation and prosecution by providing tactical information and intelligence to enforcement and prosecution institutions and to decide the extent and implications of threats or potential threats to the national security of the Republic and the safety of the people.

To provide an integrated multi-analytical strategic projective assessment of patterns, trends and of security relevant issues, to provide strategic early warning and to enhance NIA’s support/involvement in policy formulation.

The NIA logo symbolizes an alert, committed and modern intelligence capability, capable of serving as a guardian of the State, the Constitution and the people of South Africa. The logo depicts through the symbolic eye alertness, perceptiveness and also a caring eye, focused on the interests of the NIA members and the people of South Africa. This eye is flanked by symbols depicting hands guarding, shielding and defending. The colours are the rich and earthy colours of the African continent.


	Director-General Mr ME Manzini

Deputy Director-General Corporate Services	Deputy Director-General Operations	Deputy Director-General Operational Support and Systems
Ms M Modipa	Mr A Fraser	Mr P Richer