The Democratic Alliance (DA) is demanding a meeting of Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence (JSCI) to mull the appointment of Arthur Fraser as director-general of intelligence, chief whip John Steenhuisen said on Tuesday.

Steenhuisen said questions must be asked about Fraser’s suitability for the post, given allegations against him which include leaking the so-called spy-tapes to President Jacob Zuma’s legal team when he faced corruption charges.

“Yesterday’s appointment of Arthur Fraser as the new Director-General (D-G) of the State Security Agency (SSA) illustrates once again how Minister David Mahlobo and his cronies continue to have unbridled access to the security services without civilian oversight,” he said.

He noted that the JSCI had not met since May and said he would urge the committee’s new chairperson Charles Nqakula to request that it meet as soon as possible to discuss the appropriateness of the appointment.

“We must ensure transparency and accountability in South Africa’s intelligence services and cannot allow the appointment of dubious individuals to compromise its impartiality and independence.”

Fraser joined the National Intelligence Agency, the predecessor to the SSA, more than 20 years ago. The allegations that he covertly helped Zuma’s legal team to stave off prosecution on charges linked to the country’s 1999 arms deal came when he was deputy director general of the agency.