When Parliament opens for 2022, one of its tasks is to select the new Inspector-General of Intelligence. This person oversees the activities of the Crime Intelligence Division of the South African Police Service (SAPS), the State Security Agency (SSA) and the Defence Intelligence Division of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). 

State intelligence is in a catastrophic mess and has been for some time. As a result, South Africa is both poorer and more unstable. These agencies have given criminals practically a free pass and have even themselves become criminal. Professor Of Journalism At UJ, Prof Jane Duncan on her opinion piece.