By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence has nominated Imtiaz Fazel for the position of Inspector-General of Intelligence (IGI).
If successful, he will fill a vacancy left by Dr Setlhomamaru Dintwe, whose five-year term ended in March.
This is after the committee’s initial nomination, Reverend Frank Chikane, failed to pass in the National Assembly just before the annual recess.
In a statement on Wednesday, JSCI co-chairman Jerome Maake explained that in accordance with Section 7(1) of the Intelligence Services Oversight Act, the president shall appoint an inspector-general of intelligence: (a) nominated by the committee; and (b) approved by the National Assembly by a resolution supported by at least two-thirds of its members.
“Provided that if the nomination is not approved as required in paragraph (b), the committee shall nominate another person.
“Accordingly, the JSCI resolved by a simple majority of members present to nominate Imtiaz Ahmed Fazel for approval by the National Assembly for recommendation to the president of the republic of SA for appointment as the inspector-general of intelligence.
Fazel is currently the Deputy Director General of the public works department.
He served as the chief operating officer in the office of the IGI between 2004 and 2012.
Fazel has Masters in security studies from the University of Pretoria.