South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Imtiaz Fazel as the country’s new Inspector General of Intelligence to start his five-year term of duty on Tuesday, the presidency announced on Monday.
“The Inspector General monitors and reviews the operations of intelligence services — including the State Security Agency, the Defence Intelligence Division of the South African National Defence Force and the Crime Intelligence Division of the South African Police Service,” the presidency said.
Some 25 people applied for the post during a public process but only 12 were short-listed for the interview by the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence (JSCI), which recommended a candidate for approval by at least two-thirds of lawmakers in the National Assembly.
The presidency said Fazel’s appointment was a “continuation of the attention President Ramaphosa is giving to strengthening the capability of the State, including the security sector.”
He said: “Mr. Fazel is a former Chief Operating Officer – at the level of Deputy Director General – in the Office of the Inspector General of Intelligence and a former Deputy Director General in the Office of the Director General of the State Security Agency.”
He added: “From 2015 to 2020, he served as Deputy Director General: Governance, Risk and Compliance in the Department of Public Works, following which he served as Acting Director General in the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure.”
With a Master’s Degree in Security Studies from the University of Pretoria, he also holds a Bachelor of Accounting Science Degree from the University of South Africa, he said.
In addition, he has a Post-Graduate Diploma in Accounting from the University of the Western Cape and is a member of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants, among other achievements, according to the high office.
“The President offers Mr. Fazel his best wishes and support in his role as Inspector General of Intelligence, which is a critical function that contributes to making the country and the world a safer place – and in advancing the country’s national interest,” it said.
Fazel’s nomination for the position was approved by the National Assembly before submitting it to Ramaphosa for his final decision, the presidency said.
NM/as/APA