Bheki W. J. Langa

Bheki Winston Joshua Langa
Head of the Domestic Branch of the State Security Agency (SSA)
President Jacob Zuma
Personal details
Born 1952
Stengo, South Africa

Bheki Winston Joshua Langa (born in Stengo, 1952)[1] is a South African diplomat and administrator. He is currently head of the domestic branch of the State Security Agency (SSA).[2] He was the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of South Africa to China from 2010 to 2015 and Ambassador to Russia from 2005 to 2010.

Career

He served as South Africa's Ambassador to Russia from 2005 until 2010.[3] He was then posted to China as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of South Africa to China until 2015. In August 2015 he was appointed head of the domestic branch of the State Security Agency (SSA).[4]

Education and personal life

Langa is the youngest of seven children and brother to the late former Chief Justice of South Africa Pius Langa. His father was a priest, Pastor Simon Peter Langa.[5] He went into exile in around 1976 and studied for a Masters degree in Economics (MSc) at the University of Manchester and a PhD in Economics at Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, Moscow.[6] He also holds an MA in Social and Development studies from the University of Manchester and a Post Graduate Diploma in Quantitative Development Economics from the University of Warwick.[7]

Notable comments

After the passing of Nelson Mandela in December 2013 Langa compared his country's late iconic figure to Mao Zedong, saying Mandela and Mao "were both very strong leaders who fought for the liberation of their people, and who also contributed to laying the foundation for further development in society."[8]

When he served as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of South Africa to China, Busisiwe Mkhwebane, the proposed new Public Protector, worked in the embassy. He has refuted claims that she served as a spy for the State Security Agency: “I can confirm without any fear of contradiction that advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane was employed as counsellor for the department of home affairs at the South African embassy and was never in the employ, nor performed any assignment for, the State Security Agency throughout her period of service in China.”[9]


References

  1. ↑ Sid, Igor (30 March 2006). "Interview". My Africa Magazine. Archived from the original on 2009-03-04. Retrieved 2009-03-04. at WebCite
  2. ↑ State Security welcomes Ambassador Langa’s appointment
  3. ↑ "List of Ambassadors who Presented their Letters of Credential to the President of Russia". Presidential Press and Information Office. 8 November 2005. Retrieved 2009-03-04.
  4. ↑ State Security welcomes Ambassador Langa’s appointment
  5. ↑ Chief Justice Pius Nkonzo Langa
  6. ↑ Pius Langa - Constitutional Court Oral History Project
  7. ↑ State Security welcomes Ambassador Langa’s appointment
  8. ↑ Mandela, Mao shared similarities: S. Africa ambassador Xinhua News Agency 11 December 2013
  9. ↑ Chinese checkers: Behind SA’s next public protector and her ‘spy’ alter ego, Meng Xi


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