Inspector General of Intelligence, Setlhomamaru Dintwe seeks the courts help in stopping former DG – SSA from interfering in his work. Photo : News24
Thursday will see a legal showdown as the Inspector General of Intelligence (IGI) and the Director General of the State Security Agency (DG SSA) will appear before the North Gauteng High Court, where the former is seeking a court interdict barring the latter from interfering with his duties.
In his submission, the IGI, Mr Setlhomamaru Dintwe stated that the DG – SSA, Arthur Frasser had allegedly sought to revoke his security clearance and had interfered with his functions while he was investigating a complaint lodged against him. The case that Dintwe had been investigating had been lodged by the Democratic Alliance in which Fraser is purported to have been involved in a case of parallel intelligence network.
In a statement that he made last week, Dintwe said that he was seeking from the court a declaration that would put in place security measures following Fraser’s brazen and unlawful actions. This follows a case where Fraser apparently suspended Dintwe’s security clearance, citing concerns that the IGI could not be trusted with state secrets. He had stated that he was aware that Dintwe had willfully disclosed classified information to political parties, particularly the DA.
Commenting on the investigation that later ensued, Fraser stated categorically that it was a smear campaign and a political conspiracy that was intended to discredit him and the current ANC leadership, adding that he would only disclose his sources to a judge. Dintwe “personally and without authority disclosed classified information to representatives of political parties in Parliament,” he said.
In the interdict that will be heard on Thursday, in which he is accusing Fraser of interfering in his duties, Dintwe said of his expectations from the court appearance: “I seek a range of declaratory and interdictory relief on a final basis relating to the powers of the director general.” The court case will still go ahead despite the fact that Fraser had earlier been moved from his position as the Director General of the State Security Agency to the Department of Correctional Services.
