Parliamentary committee picks Frank Chikane for intelligence ombud

Parliament’s joint standing committee on intelligence (JSCI) has nominated Reverend Frank Chikane for the position of SA’s next inspector-general of intelligence (IGI).  

“Following deliberations, the JSCI resolved by a simple majority of members present to nominate Rev Frank Chikane for approval by the National Assembly, for recommendation to the president for appointment as the IGI,” the committee said in a report published on Thursday night.

Chikane is one of 10 candidates interviewed by the committee in February.

The 10 were selected from 25 applications that were received by parliament last year, among them the incumbent Dr Setlhomamaru Dintwe, whose five-year term ended on March 15.

The Sunday Times reported last month that the delay in nominating an IGI for consideration by the National Assembly was because the ANC had been lobbying opposition parties behind the scenes to support its preferred candidate.

According to sources, Chikane, who was the governing party's preferred candidate, had failed to impress during interviews and MPs in the JSCI could not agree on the ANC’s fallback candidate Faith Makhobotloane.

Opposition parties were said to be keen on public works and infrastructure senior official Imtiaz Fazel, who until April was acting director-general of that department. They claimed that Fazel came out top in the interviews.

A nominated candidate needs the support of at least two-thirds of the National Assembly’s MPs to be appointed by the president.

The IGI is responsible for monitoring intelligence services and investigating complaints against them.

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