Inspector-General of Intelligence (South Africa)

Last updated
Office of the Inspector-General of Intelligence
Agency overview
Formed1994
Jurisdiction Government of South Africa
Minister responsible
Agency executive
  • Imtiaz Fazel, Inspector-General
Website www.oigi.gov.za

Inspector-General of Intelligence (IGI) monitors and reviews the operations of the intelligence services of South Africa which include the State Security Agency, Defence Intelligence Division of the South African National Defence Force and Crime Intelligence Division of the South African Police Service. Its second function is to investigate complaints from the South African public as to possible abuses of the constitution and intelligence laws by the intelligence services.

Contents

Functions

The following are a summary of the functions of the Inspector-General of Intelligence and his department as legislated Intelligence Services Act, 1994: [1]

The IGI is accountable for his departments activities and reports to the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence (JSCI) at least once per year.

Powers

The Act gives the Inspector-General and his or her office the following power to conduct its functions: [1]

The Act outlines the penalties for the failure to disclose information as one of being guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding five years. [1]

Inspectors-General

Appointment process

The South African Parliamentary Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence overseas the nomination and interviews of potential candidates for the position of IGI. [1] The candidate must be South African, fit and proper with a knowledge of intelligence. [1] The JSCI then nominates the most suitable candidate for appointment by the President and whose decision is approved by the National Assembly by means of a two-thirds majority vote. [1] The IGI can only be removed or suspended by the President. [1]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Ingelligence Services Oversight Act 40 of 1994" (PDF). Office of the Inspector-General of Intelligence. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 May 2018. Retrieved 15 April 2018.
  2. "Hot air on the rise in intelligence". The Mail & Guardian. 1997-01-10. Retrieved 2023-11-23.
  3. "Spies without civilian oversight". News24. 26 January 2002. Retrieved 2023-11-23.
  4. 1 2 O'Brien, Kevin A (2011). The South African intelligence services: from apartheid to Democracy, 1948-2005. Abingdon, Oxfordshire: Taylor and Francis. ISBN   978-0-203-84061-0.
  5. "South Africa: Faith Radebe Appointed As Inspector General of Intelligence". AllAfrica. 25 March 2010. Retrieved 15 April 2018.
  6. Presence, Chantall (13 March 2017). "Setlomamaru Dintwe appointed as SA's top spook". IOL. Retrieved 15 April 2018.
  7. Rondganger, Lee. "Meet Imtiaz Fazel, South Africa's new inspector general of intelligence". www.iol.co.za. Retrieved 2 November 2022.