Dear Mr President, According to media reports, you have established an Investigative Directorate (the Unit) within the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to deal with grand corruption. We have publicly expressed our reservations about the constitutionality of this tactic in the war on the corrupt: www.accountabilitynow.org.za/?s=Poplak”s&submit=Se arch. www.accountabilitynow.org.za/can-shamila-batohi- revive-a-dying-npa/. www.accountabilitynow.org.za/why-cyrils-state- capture-squad-will-almost-certainly-fail/. Our main concern around the […]
Glenister Case
LETTER: Jacob Zuma gets some of his own medicine
The former president defamed Billy Downer dreadfully in an affidavit filed in his filibustering application for a permanent stay of his prosecution 15 April 2019 – 05:04 (Business Day) Jacob Zuma. Picture: SUPPLIED Karyn Maughan reports that prosecutor Billy Downer, SC, is fighting back against Jacob Zuma by invoking the newly minted evidential principle that […]
LETTER: Voters should not tolerate corruption
The Hawks and the NPA constitute twin structures that have not been — and will never be — fit for countering grand corruption, state capture and kleptocracy in SA 21 March 2019 – 08:00 FinancialMail National Director of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Shamila Batohi. Picture: ALON SKUY I refer to your timely article, which thoroughly interrogates […]
Ramaphosa’s NPA investigative unit: An unknown compromise
By Greg Nicolson• 22 March 2019 • Daily Maverick Newly appointed National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) Advocate Shamila President Cyril Ramaphosa signed a proclamation this week to establish a new anti-corruption unit within the NPA. It was a compromise born out of State Capture and meant to tackle it. Gareth Newham, head of justice […]
How the ConCourt dropped the ball on systemic corruption
Koos Malan – Paul Hoffman | 19 March 2019 Koos Malan and Paul Hoffman revisit the majority and minority opinions in “Glenister III” The Concourt contribution to sacrificing the rule of law on the altar of transformationism Helen Suzman Foundation v President of the RSA; Glenister v President of the RSA 2015 (1) BCLR 1 […]
Political will is critical if the fight against corruption is to gain ground
The creation of an integrity commission deserves urgent support 24 June 2018 – 00:00 By UNATHI MPHENDU and NATASJA HOLTZHAUSEN (Sunday Times) In 2005, an era before the shutters came down on effective corruption-busting in South Africa, Scorpions mount a raid on Jacob Zuma’s home and those of his lawyers. Image: Greg Marinovich The growing […]
The constitutional need for independent anti-corruption machinery of state
Lawyers and politicians have a penchant for making simple things complicated. It suits them to do so. In the case of lawyers, complex matters attract higher fees, or more kudos for intricate judgments for those lawyers who grace the Bench. In the case of politicians, it assists in bamboozling the long-suffering electorate to wrap questionable […]
DA softens on corruption body-independence – Paul Hoffman
4th March 2019 by Chris Bateman (BizNews) CAPE TOWN — The bottom line in the opinion of legal eagle Paul Hoffman on the Constitutionally-required independence of corruption-busting bodies? The leaders of the main political parties and their manifestos cannot be trusted to ensure this – and the main opposition party, the DA, has got it […]
Why Cyril’s state capture squad will almost certainly fail
Experts point out the crucial flaw in the new ‘Scorpions’ unit that dooms it from the beginning on the backfoot President Cyril Ramaphosa. Image: Reuters/Hannah McKay In a country that has been ravaged by corruption and profligate looting, the announcement of a crack squad within the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to bring state capturers to […]
SA’s politicians decide who probes them – Paul Hoffman
CAPE TOWN — South Africa’s ruling party has played cat and mouse with the Constitution when it comes to creating bodies meant to track and prosecute corruption. In this erudite, shining contribution, Paul Hoffman, SC, Director of Accountability Now and constitutional expert, outlines how the ANC first carefully created and then grossly manipulated, de-clawed and/or rendered […]
