ROGUE SPYING, South Africa's crisis of accountability in the state intelligence sector
243pp., paperback, Wits University Press, Johannesburg, 2026
ISBN: 9781997461098
Drawing on exclusive interviews, declassified documents and her own activism, Professor Jane Duncan reveals how whistleblowers, journalists and counsel have fought for accountability in the state intelligence sector that has been weaponised to spy on political rivals, the media and civil society, while oversight institutions largely falter.
As inquiries into Jacob Zuma’s presidency opened doors for intelligence reform, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s administration has, at important moments, offered superficial fixes, entrenching state control. Duncan traces the roots of this betrayal of public trust to historical conflicts and international drivers, arguing that, with authoritarian nationalism on the rise globally, powerful nations fuel a lawless surveillance race, threatening democratic freedoms worldwide – South Africa included.
"In Rogue Spying Duncan insists that we need to ensure that our intelligence services are put to use in creating a better society. With a sharply critical eye, she dissects the Zuma presidency's abuses and the limitations of Ramaphosa's reforms. It is vital reading for anyone concerned about the state of our governance and the conduct of our spooks." Anton Harber, journalist and Executive Director, Henry Nxumalo Foundation
"A country is in dangerous territory when oversight of intelligence agencies is weak ... Jane Duncan deftly shines a light on how intelligence accountability was rolled back at the height of state capture in South Africa. Rogue Spying is a must-read for anyone who cares about advancing democratic accountability in the current era of the weaponisation of national security in the world." Mbongiseni Buthelezi, CEO, Nelson Mandela Foundation
Jane Duncan is Professor of Digital Society at the University of Glasgow, holds a British Academy Global Professorship and is Visiting Professor in the Department of Communication and Media, University of Johannesburg. She is the author of The Rise of the Securocrats and Stopping the Spies.