Ramaphosa sings praises of former spy boss Sokupa

President Cyril Ramaphosa has paid a fond farewell to a respected member of the country’s intelligence community, Silumko Sokupa, describing him as a “disciplined cadre”, “a consummate professional” and “a humble leader”.

Delivering a eulogy at Sokupa’s funeral, which was attended by former president Thabo Mbeki, Cabinet ministers, deputy ministers, senior ANC members, and others, Ramaphosa said Sokupa and his peers sought “very practical solution to the challenges faced by our people on a daily basis”.

He served as deputy director-general of the Secret Service and coordinator of the National Intelligence Coordinating Committee.

Sokupa, or “Bra Soks” as he was commonly known, was the first chair of the ANC Border region, elected in 1991, a year after the party’s unbanning.

Returning from exile, he came into a mass democratic movement which had tensions among its members.

In East London alone, there were two United Democratic Front (UDF) factions – one grouping based at Mdantsane and another in the city that recognised parallel youth and women’s structures as UDF affiliates.

Sokupa was in the front line in his attempts to unite members, despite his preference of being in the background to strategise.

According to Ramaphosa, Sokupa’s election after he had just returned from exile spoke volumes about his leadership capacity and the high regard he was held in within the structures of the mass democratic movement.

ALSO READ: Cyril Ramaphosa needs to show some backbone

“He was deeply principled and never sought positions, publicity or personal wealth.

“Bra Soks was a dedicated public servant who served with distinction in every position he occupied and every responsibility he was given.

“He played a particularly significant role in the transformation and development of our intelligence services, he understood, more than many, the place of intelligence in a democratic society. He understood the purpose of the intelligence services asguardians of the people, of their rights and of their constitution.

“In a difficult field of work, in an environment often shrouded in secrecy and intrigue, he stood firm on the pre-eminence of the constitution and the rule of law,” Ramaphosa said.

Ramaphosa shied away from the controversy surrounding the State Security Agency, including the abuse of state funds.

The agency was turned into a tool for one faction of the ANC, becoming involved in fighting Jacob Zuma’s personal political battles.

Ramaphosa said it must have been deeply distressing for Sokupa as a member of the high-level panel “to witness how far our intelligence services had strayed from their essential purpose”.

Sokupa was part of the high-level review panel into the State Security Agency chaired by Prof Sydney Mufamadi that Ramaphosa appointed to probe shenanigans in the agency.

He also served on a panel that investigated violence that broke out in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng in July last year, along with Prof Sandy Africa and advocate Mojanku Gumbi.

The president commended the team for their “outstanding work” in probing government’s response to the public violence and destruction that occurred.

Sokupa saw state capture as an act of counterrevolution, eroding the democratic state and stealing the resources meant to improve people’s lives.

“Corruption and state capture constituted the very antithesis of what he stood for: service to the people without expectation of any personal material gain,” Ramaphosa said.