Outgoing NPA head Shamila Batohi has expressed confidence in her successor, Andy Mothibi, who was appointed as the national director of public prosecutions by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday.
Batohi says she has prepared a comprehensive report that includes information on ongoing cases and risk areas that have been identified.
The report will also give details on unfinished work in the process of continued rebuilding and reform, which has been identified as an immediate task for Mothibi.
Batohi says this report will be ready for Mothibi, Ramaphosa as well as justice minister Mmamoloko Kubayi, ahead of her departure scheduled for the end of January.
“Fighting for justice is an ongoing battle. There is much to be done, and I have no doubt that with Adv Mothibi at the helm, the staff of the NPA remain resolute in their dedication to his leadership in advancing justice and the rule of law, and that together, they will strengthen the role of the NPA at the heart of our constitutional democracy, in the service of the people,” said Batohi.
Mothibi was announced as the next NPA head by Ramaphosa late on Tuesday in a statement that left many confused, as he was not part of those who were interviewed for the position by a panel led by Kubayi.
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This is after the panel informed Ramaphosa that none of the interviewed candidates was suitable for the position.
Instead of calling for another interviewing process, Ramaphosa used his constitutional prerogative to announce Mothibi as the next NDPP.
The constitution places the power to appoint the NDPP solely in Ramaphosa and does not make provision for an interviewing process, but Ramaphosa had opted for that process for transparency purposes.
But the panel was not impressed by any of the candidates it interviewed.
Batohi said she was confident that Mothibi was the right man for the job, especially given his experience leading the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), which has been at the forefront of fighting corruption under Ramaphosa’s administration.
She said Mothibi’s appointment came at a moment when the NPA was on a journey of rebuilding, strengthening institutional integrity and advancing justice.
“Adv Mothibi is a person of integrity, who comes with a great track record and who knows what it means to fight for the rule of law in the country,” said Batohi.
“As the head of the SIU and as a key stakeholder and partner in the law enforcement environment, he is no stranger to the work of the NPA and the criminal justice system. I have every confidence that Adv Mothibi will take the NPA to greater heights.”
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