Batohi’s surprise stance in salary row
WHILE only in her first week of office, new National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) Shamila Batohi has proved she is no pushover.
Batohi went against a decision of Justice Minister Michael Masutha to fight further against a salary and benefits increase for deputy directors of public prosecutions (DDPPs). They have been fighting for an increase and benefits for more than a decade.
Although the remuneration was approved in 2014 after a lengthy battle by the state’s senior legal professionals, former head of the National Prosecutions Authority (NPA) Shaun Abrahams refused that it be implemented.
A veteran former DDPP in Pretoria, advocate Retha Meintjes, turned to the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, with the help of the Public Servants Association (PSA), to hold the NPA and government accountable to their promise of an increase.
Deputy Judge President Aubrey Ledwaba last year allocated a special trial date of Tuesday and yesterday for the matter.
The prosecuting authority (while Abrahams was in charge) and the minister from the start stood together and vowed to fight the application. They even filed an opposing affidavit last year setting out their reasons.
But Batohi, who took over from Abrahams, put her foot down and indicated her office would no longer oppose the application.
This came as a surprise on Tuesday morning as the trial was due to start.
The about-turn also came as a surprise to the advocate who represented the government and the NPA.
He said Batohi phoned him yesterday morning to tell him her office was no longer opposing the application. But he was in a difficult position because Masutha and the director-general, whom he also represented, indicated that they were definitely still opposing.
He asked Judge Wendy Hughes to postpone the matter, because it “was a mess”. The judge also commented that “it was a mess”.
It is understood the minister and director-general wanted to meet with Batohi, apparently in an attempt to sway her.
While Batohi indicated in a letter that her office was withdrawing, this was not yet formally done in court.
The court was told this case had huge implications for the State.
The advocate for the DDPPs, on the other hand, said the case had to proceed as it had been dragging on.
Judge Hughes said she had no choice but to postpone the matter.