NPA ‘cannot deny’ political interference
The National Prosecuting Authority says it cannot deny that severe political interference had stopped the state from pursuing dozens of cases linked to apartheid-era atrocities – against the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
“The [NPA] does not deny that the executive branch of the state took what one can describe as political steps to manage the conduct of criminal investigations and possible prosecution of the perpetrators of the political murders,” senior prosecutor Torie Pretorius says in court papers filed this week.
Pretorius’s evidence emerged in response to an application by apartheid-era police officer Joao Rodrigues, now aged 79, to permanently stay his prosecution for the murder of activist Ahmed Timol.
The evidence has been met with outrage by 10 former TRC commissioners, as well as the Desmond and Leah Tutu Foundation.
They, as well as the family members of at least three murdered apartheid activists, have demanded that President Cyril Ramaphosa institute an inquiry into this alleged political interference, which has been confirmed under oath by former national director of public prosecutions Vusi Pikoli and other senior NPA officials.
They also want Ramaphosa to apologise to the families of murdered apartheid activists, who have been denied justice, during his state of the nation address.
Ramaphosa’s spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment.
Pikoli revealed in a separate court case that he was put under significant pressure to not pursue TRC-linked cases.
The TRC referred hundreds of cases in which it had either not granted amnesty or amnesty was not applied for to the NPA for investigation and possible prosecution.
According to the letter sent by TRC commissioners to Ramaphosa this week, these cases involved “gross human rights violations such as torture, murder and enforced disappearances”. Almost all of them were abandoned.
The ANC’s Zizi Kodwa had not responded to requests for comment at the time of going to print.