NPA in Crisis: ActionSA Demands Batohi's Removal from Office

(The Post News) – ActionSA has voiced grave concerns over the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) integrity and effectiveness, describing it as an “institution in crisis” that has fundamentally failed to function “without fear or favour”.

The party argues that despite claims of a “war against corruption” in South Africa, “nobody has seen one shot fired,” with blame laid squarely at the door of the NPA and its head, National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) Adv. Shamila Batohi.

ActionSA Parliamentary leader Athol Trollip expressed deep concern at the country’s fight against corruption, stating that the NPA’s consistent “botching of prosecutions” has emboldened criminals. He criticised the NDPP, asserting that Batohi “cannot admit that there is a crisis at all.”

In a strong rebuke, ActionSA has gone further, calling for Batohi’s immediate removal from office and a full parliamentary inquiry into the alarming extent of political interference within the NPA.

The party cited the recent collapse of the asbestos corruption case involving former Free State Premier Ace Magashule as the latest in what they describe as a troubling series of prosecutorial blunders under Batohi’s leadership.

“The NPA has become a refuge for the politically connected, a place where accountability is avoided, justice is delayed and prosecutions collapse with shocking regularity,” Trollip stated. He highlighted a concerning pattern of failures, including the protracted Omotoso trial, the bungled Bushiri extradition debacle, and the NPA’s continued inability to bring the elusive Gupta brothers to justice.

“Let us be clear that this is not just about one failed case. “The pattern is undeniable,” Trollip asserted, expressing the party’s profound disappointment. “Under Shamila Batohi’s leadership, the NPA reels from one scandal to the next. South Africans are left wondering if these failures are merely a result of incompetence, or is there a deliberate agenda to protect the corrupt?”

ActionSA also pointed to the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act (PCCAA), which they say empowers the NDPP to deal decisively with corrupt prosecutors within the entity. Yet, they see no evidence of this power being exercised effectively.

To underscore their demands, ActionSA announced its intention to formally request Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi to begin the process of removing Batohi under Section 12 of the NPA Act. This section outlines the legal procedure for the removal of the National Director based on various grounds, including incapacity, misconduct, or continued poor performance.

The mounting frustration from ActionSA reflects a broader public sentiment concerning the perceived inability of the justice system to hold high-profile individuals accountable for corruption. As critical cases falter, the public’s trust in the institutions meant to combat graft continues to erode, raising urgent questions about the future of South Africa’s fight against corruption.