S. African gov't to discuss terror alert with U.S.: presidency

The South African government will continue to discuss a terror alert with the United States as part of on-going cooperation on security issues between the two countries, the Presidency said on Wednesday.

"The Presidency has noted the security alert that the United States government has issued to its citizens in South Africa through its local embassy," presidential spokesperson Bongani Ngqulunga said.

Ngqulunga said the South African Security Cluster is to meet on Wednesday to discuss the matter further, with a view to ensuring the continued safety of all in the country.

On Saturday, the U.S. Embassy in Pretoria issued a terror warning to U.S. citizens in South Africa, saying the U.S. government has received information that terrorist groups are planning to carry out near-term attacks against places where U.S. citizens congregate in South Africa, such as upscale shopping areas and malls in Johannesburg and Cape Town.

On Monday, South African State Security Minister David Mahlobo downplayed the alert, saying there is no need to panic.

South African officials have also accused the U.S. Embassy of not following the proper procedure in releasing the terror alert.

The terror alert by the Americans was "sketchy, dubious and unsubstantiated", Clayson Monyela, spokesperson of the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation, said on Wednesday.

Monyela expressed the government's displeasure, saying, "it is within this context that the South African government rejects attempts by foreign countries to influence, manipulate or control our country's counter terrorism work."

Monyela said the South Africans must be informed first and be the ones who break the news if need be.

The U.S. Embassy in Pretoria, however, insists that its terror warning was credible.

"It (the alert) was based on specific, credible, and non-counterable threat information," said U.S. embassy spokesperson Cynthia Harvey. Endit