WATCH | Justice on trial! DA demands anti-graft unit amid NPA flops

Glynnis Breytenbach

Cape Town – Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Glynnis Breytenbach has called for the establishment of an anti-corruption unit to strengthen the prosecution of high-profile cases, following recent failures by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).

These include the acquittal of Nigerian pastor Timothy Omotoso on multiple serious charges and a court ruling declaring the extradition of Moroadi Cholota from the US unlawful.

While acknowledging the NPA’s struggles, Breytenbach expressed continued support for National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) Shamila Batohi, rejecting calls for her removal.

“To produce competent, highly skilled people can take up to 20 years. They are winning some cases, but it’s the high-profile cases the public have invested in, those cases seem to fail. So support the anti-corruption bill, I truly believe it’s the answer to this problem,” Breytenbach said while addressing the media at Parliament. 

She emphasised that the failures are systemic and not solely Batohi’s fault.

African Insider reported earlier that Batohi has raised alarm that the NPA is being infiltrated by individuals hostile to the rule of law.

Batohi denied interference from government officials but admitted to internal and external threats undermining the NPA’s integrity.

She expressed deep concern over these issues and said she plans to raise them with the executive.

“I have not had interference from any members of the executive whilst I have been the national director. But what I do want to say is that there are other issues that I can’t really speak about that actually makes me worry sometimes,” Batohi said during an interview with Newzroom Afrika on Thursday.

“That the NPA is actually being infiltrated by people that do not have the rule of law at heart. I don’t sleep comfortably at night because of that, not because I think that the NPA is a failing organisation…

“I am concerned about the attacks on the NPA, on the national director… It’s something that I’m going to take up very very seriously with the executive. We need to actually understand exactly what is going on and why it is sometimes so difficult to do this job.”

Appointed in 2018, Batohi vowed to rebuild the credibility and efficiency of South Africa’s troubled National Prosecuting Authority, IOL reported.

But six years later, critics say the NPA is still struggling, with major setbacks in key cases raising questions about its performance and damaging public confidence, the report said.

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