The Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana, has appointed Thabiso Lucas Thiti as director of the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) for a five-year term, effective 15 April 2026.
Thiti succeeds Advocate Pieter Smit, who has served as acting director since September 2023. Godongwana acknowledged Smit’s role in leading the institution during the interim period.
Thiti’s appointment follows a “rigorous recruitment process” undertaken since 2025 that culminated in a selection panel chaired by the Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Zuko Godlimpi, recommending Thiti as the preferred candidate, National Treasury said in a statement on 8 April.
Treasury said Thiti’s more than 20 years of senior executive experience in public service spans the trade and industry advisory, the Justice Cluster, national security and intelligence operations, strategic management, and government leadership.
He is currently the deputy director-general: institutional development and support at the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, a position he has held since April 2023.
He also served as head of the Office of Interception at the State Security Agency (SSA), from 2020 to 2023. Before that, he held several senior roles within the SSA from 2006 to 2018. During this time, he was directly involved in strategy, operations, and co-ordination in the broader criminal justice system.
Godongwana expects Thiti to continue and deepen the vital work the FIC has done to combat illicit financial flows, organised crime, money laundering, and terrorism financing.
South Africa’s recent exit from the Financial Action Task Force’s grey list, in less than three years, provided proof of the rapid reforms that can be achieved when regulators, policymakers, law-enforcement agencies, and members of the financial sector co-operate to achieve a clear objective, National Treasury said.
However, with a mutual evaluation by FATF due later this year, the country must continue to demonstrate progress in the effectiveness of investigations, prosecutions, and sanctions.
“Mr Thiti steps into this role at a pivotal time. We believe he has the requisite skill and experience to lead this critical institution. South Africa’s successful exit from the FATF grey list demonstrated the strength of collaboration between government, regulators, and the financial sector. Sustaining this momentum is paramount, and the FIC has a key role to play to ensure that South Africa’s financial system remains trusted, transparent, and globally competitive,” said Godongwana.
