Court orders NDPP interviews to be held in public
In a major win for the Right2Know Campaign, the public will for the first time on Wednesday be able to watch the interview process that will lead to the appointment of SA’s new top prosecutor
The High Court in Pretoria on Tuesday took a step further in terms of transparency when it ordered that the interviews with the candidates shortlisted for the post of the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) be open to the media and the public.
The Right2Know Campaign brought the urgent application to open the proceedings, which President Cyril Ramaphosa opposed. The presidency has, however, decided not to appeal the judgment.
Ramaphosa made an undertaking in February that he would deal with the “leadership issues” of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to ensure that it was “stabilised and able to perform its mandate unhindered”.
The appointment of the NDPP is a power vested in the president and is not a public process. But Ramaphosa has veered away from the tradition by establishing an advisory panel to shortlist the candidates.
The president has until December 19 to appoint a replacement for ousted NDPP Shaun Abrahams, whose appointment was declared invalid by the Constitutional
Court.
The interviews with the 12 shortlisted candidates would start on Wednesday, the presidency said on Tuesday evening. It would conclude on Friday.
The interviews will be conducted by the panel led by energy minister Jeff Radebe.
In adherence to the court order, up to 20 journalists would be allowed to attend the proceedings, the presidency said.
Right2Know’s Dale McKinley welcomed the judgment, saying it was an affirmation of the constitutional right of openness and transparency.
Among the prominent candidates to be interviewed are Shamila Batohi, a former director of public prosecutions in KwaZulu-Natal; Glynnis Breytenbach, DA MP and former state prosecutor; and current acting NDPP Silas Ramaite.
RAMAPHOSA MADE AN UNDERTAKING IN FEBRUARY THAT HE WOULD DEAL WITH THE ‘LEADERSHIP ISSUES OF THE NPA