President seeks action over fired NPA officials

PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa has asked Parliament to explain how it will handle his request to fire senior National Prosecuting Authority officials.

This followed his decision in April to fire Nomgcobo Jiba and Lawrence Mrwebi following the report of the Mokgoro Inquiry into their conduct.

In his letter to Parliament, dated June 25, Ramaphosa has requested a process to be followed in dealing with the matter.

The law requires that after the president has fired the top prosecutors, the matter must be referred to Parliament for consideration.

The portfolio committee on justice in the National Assembly and the select committee on security in the National Council of Provinces are tasked with the matter.

In the letter, Ramaphosa wants to know how the national legislature will process his request for the removal of Jiba and Mrwebi.

“It would be most appreciated if we are kept abreast on how Parliament intends to proceed on this matter,” wrote Ramaphosa in the letter.

He said the law was clear in how the process has to be managed.

He said the NPA Act had been complied with in removing Mrwebi and Jiba. Their removal followed the findings of the Mokgoro inquiry, and the two had filed their responses to the report.

“In terms of section 12 of the Act, such decision and accompanying documentation shall be communicated by message to Parliament within 14 days after such removal if Parliament is then in session or, if Parliament is not then in session, within 14 days after the commencement of its next ensuing session,” said Ramaphosa.

Parliament had delayed in dealing with the matter after the elections.

Parliament had been dissolved to allow for the campaign by political parties ahead of the May 8 elections when Ramaphosa fired the two senior prosecutors in April.

But the national legislature was now back in session, and the law has clear time frames.

The portfolio committee on justice and correctional services indicated at its meeting recently that it will deal with the matter in the next few weeks.

Jiba’s lawyer, Zola Majavu, also stated that they would take the Mokgoro report on judicial review.

This came after the Constitutional Court ruled in favour of Jiba and Mrwebi two weeks ago that they not be struck of the roll off advocates.

The North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria had struck the two advocates off the roll following an application by the General Council of the Bar.

But Jiba and Mrwebi appealed the decision in the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein.

But now the justice committee is expected to finalise the request by Ramaphosa in the next few weeks.