Cape Town – President Cyril Ramaphosa has summoned National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) Shamila Batohi following her controversial remarks suggesting that the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) had been infiltrated by corrupt prosecutors collaborating with criminals to sabotage cases.
“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…
[ICYMI] National Director of Public Prosecutions Adv. Shamila Batohi says the NPA has been infiltrated by those against the rule of law. The NPA has recently come under fire over its handling of high-profile cases. While Batohi has denied interference from the executive, she says… pic.twitter.com/leLlFkJOEf
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) June 5, 2025
“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.”
Batohi later clarified she had used the wrong words and was referring to specific allegations, not widespread infiltration.
Ramaphosa said the meeting will give Batohi a chance to openly discuss the challenges facing the NPA.
“The NDPP did make that statement and she later said she used the wrong word about the infiltration. I’m going to have a meeting with her so that she can really download and take off the chest some of the challenges,” Ramaphosa told journalists at the Sefako Makgatho Primary School on Tuesday.
