Nearly nine months after President Cyril Ramaphosa suspended Inspector-General of Intelligence Imtiaz Fazel, the country’s chief spy watchdog says he has not been given a case to answer, has not appeared before Parliament’s intelligence committee and is not aware of any inquiry taking place into his conduct.
Fazel has turned to the high court to challenge Ramaphosa’s decision to suspend him and the State Security Agency’s decision to withdraw his security clearance.
His case places before the courts a stark question: How does the country’s intelligence watchdog remain suspended for almost nine months without being called to answer for the case against him?
“I remain suspended, pending an inquiry by the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence (JSCI),” Fazel told Sunday World. But he said the inquiry had not moved to a hearing.
“Since I was informed about an investigation of a complaint into my conduct during July 2025, I have not been presented with any allegations to, respond to and no hearing has taken place.”
Asked how many times he had appeared before the JSCI, Fazel said, “I have not appeared before a parliamentary hearing, and I am not aware of any inquiry taking place.”
Fazel was suspended in October last year, preceded by a report in which he recommended criminal and disciplinary action against senior police officials over an alleged irregular Crime Intelligence property acquisition.
The report dealt with how Crime Intelligence allegedly used more than R120-million from its secret slush fund to buy five properties intended for safe houses and operational centres, bypassing normal procurement laws.
The report recommended action against National Police Commissioner Lt-Gen Fannie Masemola and Crime Intelligence head Lt-Gen Dumisani Khumalo.
Fazel was also blocked from giving evidence before the parliamentary ad hoc committee into police corruption, triggered by his suspension and the swift withdrawal of his security clearance.
Ramaphosa and the intelligence ministry withheld permission for Fazel to testify before the committee, insisting on a legal opinion on whether a suspended official could disclose classified material. The matter dragged until the committee completed its work.
Fazel said he had repeatedly asked Parliament to present the allegations to him.
Asked whether he had been given any indication when the investigation into his conduct would be concluded, he said: “No, I have not.”
“I have communicated to the JSCI on several occasions between August 2025 and April 2026, asking to be presented with any allegations so that I may respond in a properly constituted hearing.
“I have not had a suitable response and, consequently, communicated my concerns more recently, in June 2026, to the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of Parliament.”
He said he had brought an application before the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria.
“I have brought an application before the high court to set aside the decision of the acting director-general of the SSA to withdraw my security clearance and the decision of the president to suspend me, both ostensibly pending the outcome of the JSCI investigation.”
Fazel said the application also attacked the legal framework governing intelligence oversight.
“My application also asks the court to set aside certain provisions contained in intelligence legislation that are unconstitutional, as they undermine the statutory requirement for the independence of the inspector-general, especially from the intelligence services that he or she is required to over-see and the security of tenure of the incumbent.”
He said he would rather not prejudice the court proceedings or a possible JSCI hearing.
“In this regard, I would not want to prejudice either these court proceedings or a possible hearing of the JSCI.”
Fazel said his suspension had left a gap in intelligence oversight.
“There is presently no oversight over the intelligence services being conducted by either me or my staff, who I am precluded from engaging during my suspension.”
He added: “The public complaints mechanism against the services is no longer operational.”
Fazel declined to answer what precedent a lengthy suspension could set for future inspectors-general.
“I am not at liberty to answer this question,” he said.
He also declined to comment on whether secrecy around the intelligence sector made public accountability more difficult.
“I am not at liberty to answer this question.”
The Presidency announced Fazel’s precautionary suspension in October 2025 after receiving a complaint that was referred to the JSCI for investigation in terms of the Intelligence Services Oversight Act.
The committee is expected to investigate the complaint before making recommendations to the president and Parliament.
Fazel remains suspended pending those processes while asking the high court to overturn his suspension, set aside the withdrawal of his security clearance and declare parts of the intelligence legislation unconstitutional.
Presidency and the Speaker’s office had not responded to questions at the time of publishing.
- President Cyril Ramaphosa suspended Inspector-General of Intelligence Imtiaz Fazel nearly nine months ago.
- Fazel has not been presented with any case or specific allegations against him.
- He has not appeared before Parliament’s intelligence committee regarding the suspension.
- Fazel is unaware of any formal inquiry into his conduct currently taking place.
- The situation remains unresolved, with no official progress reported in the past nine months.
Nearly nine months after President Cyril Ramaphosa suspended Inspector-General of Intelligence Imtiaz Fazel, the country’s chief spy watchdog says he has not been given a case to answer, has not appeared before Parliament’s intelligence committee and is not aware of any inquiry taking place into his conduct.
Fazel has turned to the high court to challenge Ramaphosa’s decision to suspend him and the State Security Agency’s decision to withdraw his security clearance.
His case places before the courts a stark question: How does the country’s intelligence watchdog remain suspended for almost nine months without being called to answer for the case against him?
“I remain suspended, pending an inquiry by the Joint
“Since I was informed about an investigation of a complaint into my conduct during July 2025, I have not been presented with any allegations to, respond to and no hearing has taken place.”
Asked how many times he had appeared before the JSCI, Fazel said, “I have not appeared before a parliamentary hearing, and I am not aware of any inquiry taking place.”
Fazel was suspended in October last year, preceded by a report in which he recommended criminal and disciplinary action against senior police officials over an alleged irregular Crime Intelligence property acquisition.
Fazel was also blocked from giving evidence before the parliamentary ad hoc committee into police corruption, triggered by his suspension and the swift withdrawal of his security clearance.
Ramaphosa and the intelligence ministry withheld permission for Fazel to testify before the committee, insisting on a legal opinion on whether a suspended official could disclose classified material.
Fazel said he had repeatedly asked Parliament to present the allegations to him.
Asked whether he had been given any indication when the investigation into his conduct would be concluded, he said: “No, I have not.”
“I have communicated to the JSCI on several occasions between August 2025 and April 2026, asking to be presented with any allegations so that I may respond in a properly constituted hearing.
“I have not had a suitable response and, consequently, communicated my concerns more recently, in June 2026, to the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of Parliament.”
He said he had brought an application before the
“I have brought an application before the high court to set aside the decision of the acting director-general of the SSA to withdraw my security clearance and the decision of the president to suspend me, both ostensibly pending the outcome of the JSCI investigation.”
Fazel said the application also attacked the legal framework governing intelligence oversight.
“My application also asks the court to set aside certain provisions contained in intelligence legislation that are unconstitutional, as they undermine the statutory requirement for the independence of the inspector-general, especially from the intelligence services that he or she is required to over-see and the security of tenure of the incumbent.”
He said he would rather not prejudice the court proceedings or a possible JSCI hearing.
“In this regard, I would not want to prejudice either these court proceedings or a possible hearing of the JSCI.”
Fazel said his suspension had left a gap in intelligence oversight.
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He added: “
Fazel declined to answer what precedent a lengthy suspension could set for future inspectors-general.
“I am not at liberty to answer this question,” he said.
He also declined to comment on whether secrecy around the intelligence sector made public accountability more difficult.
“I am not at liberty to answer this question.”
Fazel remains suspended pending those processes while asking the high court to overturn his suspension, set aside the withdrawal of his security clearance and declare parts of the intelligence legislation unconstitutional.
Presidency and the Speaker’s office had not responded to questions at the time of publishing.
