Pressure on Cyril to elect NPA boss

Despite being given 90 days by Constitutional Court, civil society organisations want president to decide sooner than deadline

PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa is facing mounting pressure to appoint a new head of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) as the Constitutional Court deadlines looms.

Civil society organisations, which successfully challenged the appointment of Shaun Abrahams as head of the NPA, yesterday said Ramaphosa had to urgently fill the vacancy.

But the president’s spokesperson, Khusela Diko, said there was still plenty of time.

She said Ramaphosa was still within the deadline imposed by the Concourt.

In its ruling last month, the Concourt said Ramaphosa should appoint a permanent National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) within 90 days.

Since the sacking of Abrahams, the prosecution authority has been without a permanent head.

Silas Ramaite has since been acting in Abrahams’ place after Ramaphosa tipped him for the position in August.

Before then, Ramaite had been serving as Deputy NDPP for 15 years.

Meanwhile, Diko said the president would make the appointment soon.

She, however, did not indicate when the new person would step in.

“The president has not given a date. He said within the 90 days he was given by the court there will be an appointment,” said Diko.

The Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution (Casac) said Ramaphosa had to act swiftly and needed a candidate who was outside the NPA to restore its credibility.

Lawson Naidoo of Casac said the Concourt had given Ramaphosa 90 days, but urged him to make the appointment soon.

The court ruled last month on the application to remove Abrahams from office.

Naidoo said the law was clear on the kind of person needed to head the NPA.

“The legislation makes it clear on the candidate to be considered that it must be somebody who is robustly independent given the instability in the NPA for several years now.

“Given the divisions in the NPA it will make sense to bring in somebody from outside because you need a new broom in the NPA,” said Naidoo.

“We are hoping the president will make the appointment sooner rather later because the NPA is a critical institution.”

Former NPA national director Vusi Pikoli earlier ruled himself out of the running after speculation mounted he was considered by Ramaphosa.

The NPA has been unstable for several years and has not had a head who completed his full 10-year term in the past 18 years.

Some of the opposition parties have argued that the NDPP must be appointed by Parliament.

This would be in similar line with the appointment of the public protector, the board of directors at the SABC and other bodies and heads of institutions.