Spy boss suspended over leak claims

Ramaphosa suspends Inspector-General Imtiaz Fazel, joint committee to probe his conduct

- LOYISO SIDIMBA

POLICE have remained tight-lipped amid mounting allegations that President Cyril Ramaphosa suspended Inspector-General of Intelligence (IGI) Imtiaz Fazel over claims that he leaked sensitive investigation reports implicating National Commissioner General Fannie Masemola and Crime Intelligence head Lieutenant-General Dumisani Khumalo.

Ramaphosa announced Fazel’s immediate suspension this week but offered no explanation for the decision. He confirmed that the suspension will stand pending the outcome of an inquiry by Parliament's Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence (JSCI) into Fazel’s conduct.

Ramaphosa announced on Wednesday that Fazel, whom he appointed in November 2022, had been suspended with immediate effect but did not provide reasons.

The committee informed Ramaphosa that it had received a complaint on Fazel’s conduct and that it would conduct an investigation in accordance with the Intelligence Services Act.

The Act makes provision that “if the Inspector-General is the subject of an investigation by the (JSCI) in terms of subsection (4), he or she may be suspended by the president pending a decision in such investigation”.