President appoints Mr Imtiaz Fazel as Inspector-General of Intelligence

31 October 2022

President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Mr Imtiaz Fazel as the Inspector-General of Intelligence for a period of five years with effect from 1 November 2022, following approval by the National Assembly of Mr Fazel’s nomination for the position.

The National Assembly approval followed a public process in which 25 persons applied for the position and 12 were interviewed by the Joint Standing Committee in Intelligence.

The Intelligence Services Oversight Act mandates the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence (JSCI) to recommend a candidate for approval by at least two thirds of the National Assembly Members.

Following National Assembly approval, the name of the candidate is submitted to the President to consider the nominee for appointment as Inspector-General.

The President has appointed Mr Fazel in accordance with Section 210(b) of the Constitution, read in conjunction with Section 7(1) of the Intelligence Services Oversight Act of 1994.

The Inspector-General monitors and reviews the operations of the 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.

Mr Fazel’s appointment is a continuation of the attention President Ramaphosa is giving to strengthening the capability of the state, including the security sector.

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.

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.

Mr Fazel has obtained a Master’s Degree in Security Studies from the University of Pretoria and holds a Bachelor of Accounting Science Degree from the University of South Africa.

He holds 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.

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 advancing the country’s national interest.

Issued by Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President, 31 October 2022