Mike Louw
Mike Louw | |
---|---|
Born | Michael James Minaar Louw 1940 |
Died | 2009 Middelburg, Eastern Cape |
Nationality | South African |
Occupation | Intelligence Service Head |
Espionage activity | |
Allegiance | Republic of South Africa |
Service branch | South African Secret Service |
Service years | 1995-1997 |
Rank | Director-General |
Codename | Michael James |
Codename | Mike Hicks |
Michael James Minaar Louw (c1940 – 2009) was a former Director-General of the South African National Intelligence Service (NIS) and after the 1994 South African elections, was appointed as head of the new South African Secret Service. He played a key role as a representative of the South African government in the secret negotiations held between them and the ANC in exile which brought about the unbanning of the latter in 1990 and the release of Nelson Mandela.
Early life
He grew up in
Background
His earliest intelligence career was with the Directorate Military Intelligence (DMI) and with its formation in 1969, he joined the Bureau of State Security (BOSS) where he worked as a researcher.[2]: Ch22 BOSS was renamed the Department of National Security (DONS) in 1978 and then in 1980 to the National Intelligence Service. At the time of its name change, Louw was working as the Director of International Political Research.[2]: Ch22
Under Niel Barnard's restructuring of BOSS from 1980 into the NIS, the intelligence research division's importance grew and Louw was instrumental in growing the reputation of the organisation with a daily product called National Intelligence Flashes and Sketches (NIFS).[1]: Ch5 He would be promoted to Chief Director Research in the early eighties.[2]: Ch22
In 1985 he was promoted to Deputy-Director NIS.[2]: Chp31 He was also involved in talks with Nelson Mandela while he was still in prison.[2]
In May 1988, Louw was one of four people appointed by President
On 12 September 1989, in Lucerne Switzerland, Louw and
In January 1990, Louw instructed Martiz Spaarwater to organise a second meeting with Thabo Mbeki and Aziz Pahad, representing the ANZ in-exile, in Lucerne on 6 February 1990.[3] This occurred four days after FW de Klerk's 2 February 1990 speech at the opening of parliament.[3] Priorities such as the release of Nelson Mandela, return of ANC exiles to the country, release of political prisoners and preparations for constitutional negotiations were finalised.[3] Four committees would be established to consider and make further recommendations on these four priorities.[2] In 1992, he was appointed the Director-General of the National Intelligence Service replacing Niel Barnard.
After the amalgamation of the six old intelligence services into two intelligence services after the 1994 South African election, the South African Secret Service (SASS) and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), he would lead the foreign intelligence branch, the SASS from 1 January 1995 until 1997 when he left due to illness.[4]
In 2003 he was awarded the platinum version of the Intelligence Lifetime Award by the President through the Minister for Intelligence Services.[5] Appointed in 2003, he was one of three part-time councillors on the Intelligence Services Council on Conditions of Service.[5]
Marriage
He was married to Marié and had three children, Kobus, Marianna (Marais) and Van Wyk.[4]
Death
He died in 2009 from a stoke while in Middelburg, Eastern Cape while returning to Pretoria with his family.[4]
References
- ^ ISBN 978-0624074571.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-77022-438-4.
- ^ a b c "Lucerne, Switzerland September 12 1989 - NEWS & ANALYSIS Politicsweb". www.politicsweb.co.za. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
- ^ a b c Cwele, Siyabonga (3 January 2010). "Mike Louw: Secret service boss who saw apartheid folly". Sunday Times (South Africa). p. 16.
- ^ a b "Zuma laments death of former spy boss Mike Louw". defenceWeb. 4 January 2010. Retrieved 6 May 2022.