Mr Xola Nqola, the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development, has welcomed the appointment of Advocate Andy Mothibi, the new National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) appointed by President Cyril Ramaphosa. This is an important aim in ensuring that the criminal justice system in South Africa is in order and that the South African State is capable of holding its citizens accountable.
This appointment was made pursuant to Section 179(1)(a) of the Constitution and the National Prosecuting Authority Act. This legislative power will ensure that the President has the ability to appoint leadership that is of high calibre and has the strength of character to make institutions involved in the fight against corruption and maladministration. According to Mr Nqola, this appointment comes at a crucial time for the country.
The Committee would like to highlight that the NDPP is one of the pillars of democracy and that it is imperative that the NPA functions “without fear, favour or prejudice”. Adv. Mothibi is expected to focus on efficiency, integrity and transparency. A major emphasis in this term is likely to be on high-priority cases, and these would include serious cases of crime and corruption.
In this position, the newly appointed person, Adv Mothibi, follows a highly successful stint as head of the Special Investigating Unit (SIU). According to Mr Nqola, his predecessor has rendered “outstanding service with exceptional leadership qualities”, which gives the NPA a good grounding for a leader but whose tenure is subject to strict oversight by Parliament to ensure the NPA remains within its constitutional mandate for the public good.
At the same time, the Committee highlighted the appointment of Mr Leonard Lekgetho as the Acting Head of the SIU. Mr Lekgetho, who was previously the Chief Operations Officer of the unit, will take over from Adv Mothibi, who has left the position. The Committee has offered its continued monitoring of the SIU’s operations during this period as a way of ensuring that the unit continues to make strides in its investigations.
