Batohi working to improve NPA’S name

NATIONAL Director of Public Prosecutions Shamila Batohi has emphasised the independence of the National Prosecuting Authority is non-negotiable.

“The first thing I said to President Ramaphosa when I met him before I accepted the position – I insisted on an unequivocal commitment from the president of my independence and the NPA. It’s a commitment I will not waiver from enforcing at any point.”

Batohi was addressing the Law Society of SA’S annual conference on the theme: “The war against corruption – can the legal profession reasonably contribute to restoring confidence in the Rule of Law?”

The advocate, who has been at the helm for two months, said it has been a rough few weeks transitioning into her new role. She was previously senior legal adviser at the International Criminal Court.

She highlighted, among other things, that while the NPA has gone through a reputational crisis and lost its credibility, it still had an immense task of ensuring that ordinary South Africans feel secure.

“Integrity issues must be addressed. The public has lost confidence in the NPA and prosecutors can’t be the lawyers for the people while this perception persists. We are working with the minister of justice to establish an accountability mechanism whereby members of the public can report any complaint, including improper conduct by members of the NPA.

“The challenges we face as a country are immense but it is in the meeting of these that we fashion ourselves as a nation. We in the NPA need to demonstrate that we are ready to meet the challenges we face.”

Batohi said while the directorate would be essential in dealing with the corruption claims emerging from the state capture commission, it was not a permanent solution to the challenges facing the country. |