Imtiaz Fazel, who was nominated to become the inspector general of intelligence in September, has been appointed to the position from November 1, the presidency confirmed on Monday.
The appointment of Fazel by President Cyril Ramaphosa will run for five years following approval by the National Assembly.
The approval followed a public process in which 25 people applied for the position and 12 were interviewed by the joint standing committee on intelligence (JSCI).
The Intelligence Services Oversight Act mandates the JSCI to recommend a candidate for approval by at least two thirds of members of the National Assembly.
Following National Assembly approval, the name of the candidate is submitted to the president to consider the nominee for appointment as inspector general.
Ramaphosa has appointed 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.
According to the Presidency, 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.
The Presidency said Fazel’s appointment was a continuation of the attention Ramaphosa was giving to strengthening the capability of the state, including the security sector.
It comes amid heightened tensions between the South African government and the US embassy, which issued an alert last week about a possible terror attack in Sandton. The alert triggered backlash from officials within and outside the government, who lambasted the US for not consulting Pretoria before issuing it.
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 for 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.
He has 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 also 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.
“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,” the Presidency said.
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