Advocate Andy Mothibi will start leading the National Prosecuting Authority from 1 February after his appointment on Tuesday. President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed advocateAndy Mothibito lead the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) on Tuesday, a surprising decision after Mothibi was not among the six candidates interviewed for the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) position. Mothibi is the current head of the country’s Special Investigating Unit (SIU).
In a statement issued on Tuesday night, 6 January, Ramaphosa said Mothibi would begin leading the NPA from 1 February. Mothibi will replace advocate Shamila Batohi, who retires at the end of January after seven years in the position. President Ramaphosa had, in November last year, appointed aseven-person advisory panelto lead an “open and transparent” selection process for a new NDPP.
The panel, chaired by Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi and composed of leaders of the legal fraternity and Chapter 9 institutions, interviewed six of an initial 32 candidates over two days in December. Those interviewed included: Khanyile was widely regarded as the frontrunner and Kubayi’s preferred candidate for the position. But Daily Maverick’s Rebecca Davisreportedthat Cronje was the only person interviewed for the NDPP role who was capable of reforming the troubled NPA.
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The panel was expected to submit three short-listed candidates for recommendation to Ramaphosa. However, Ramaphosa said in the statement that the panel had instead concluded that none of the six candidates was suitable for the position.
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