Billy Masetlha

{{Short description|South African intelligence officer (1954–2023)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox officeholder

|honorific-prefix =

|name = Billy Lesedi Masetlha

|native_name =

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|order =

|office = National Intelligence Agency - Director-General

|term_start = 2004

|term_end = 2005

|succeeding =

|predecessor = Vusi Mavimbela

|successor = Manala Manzini

|constituency =

|majority =

|order2 =

|office2 = South African Secret Service - Director-General

|term_start2 = 1996

|term_end2 = 1999

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|succeeding2 =

|predecessor2 = Mike Louw

|successor2 = Hilton Dennis

|birth_name =

|birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1954|11|21}}

|birth_place = Alexandra, Johannesburg, Transvaal, South Africa

|death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2023|5|14|1954|11|21}}

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|citizenship = South African citizenship

|nationality = South African

|party = African National Congress

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|occupation =

|profession = Spy, diplomat, South African Ambassador to Algeria

}}

Billy Masetlha (21 November 1954 – 14 May 2023) was a South African intelligence officer. He was the head of the South African National Intelligence Agency before being fired by South African President Thabo Mbeki in 2006.{{cite news|last1=Sibanda|first1=Golden|title=Zimbabwe: Mwana Africa Sacks Chairman|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201402260822.html|accessdate=10 February 2015|work=The Herald|date=26 February 2014}}{{cite news|last1=Monare|first1=Moshoeshoe|title=The rise and fall of spy chief Billy Masetlha|url=http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/the-rise-and-fall-of-spy-chief-billy-masetlha-1.270580#.VNqN4S70fVI|accessdate=10 February 2015|work=Independent Online News|date=24 March 2006}}

Masetlha died on 14 May 2023, at the age of 68.[https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/sas-ambassador-to-algeria-billy-masetlha-passes-away/ SA’s ambassador to Algeria Billy Masetlha passes away]