Latest news with #Omotoso
Daily Maverick
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
‘A refuge for the connected' — ActionSA slams NPA, calls for Batohi's removal
NPA boss Shamila Batohi continues to face criticism over her leadership, with ActionSA protesting in Tshwane on Thursday, calling for her removal. While the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) continues to face criticism over its failure to lead successful prosecutions in several high-profile cases, ActionSA staged a protest outside the justice minister's offices in Tshwane on Thursday, 19 June, calling for the removal of NPA boss Shamila Batohi. 'Worryingly, the NPA has become a refuge for the politically connected, a place where accountability is avoided, justice is delayed and prosecutions collapse with alarming regularity,' said ActionSA president Herman Mashaba and the party's parliamentary head Athol Trollip in a joint statement after submitting a memorandum. 'Supported by victims of the NPA's failure to ensure that our criminal justice system protects the public and tackles rampant lawlessness, ActionSA's demand for the removal of advocate Batohi rests on the lived experiences of those who have been failed by a prosecuting body clearly incapable of fulfilling its mandate.' Batohi has faced criticism after several State Capture cases have been thrown out of court. ActionSA supporters emphasised the Timothy Omotoso case, with the Nigerian televangelist walking free in April after being cleared of all 32 charges – including rape and human trafficking. Hlengiwe Zondi, 23, an ActionSA supporter who arrived from Johannesburg, told Daily Maverick that she attended Thursday's protest because she was concerned about what the Omotoso case meant for her own safety. 'I am very scared. I am very scared for myself, for my younger sisters. I am scared for every single girl. 'The release of Omotoso after so much clear evidence against him, for me, was an indication that not a single woman or girl is safe under the current leadership of the NPA … What angers me most is that the leader of the NPA is a woman herself,' Zondi said. Sibongile Msomi, 48, said, 'These are the cases you want to use and set an example to intruders like Omotoso, whose actions amounted to peeing on our sovereignty. He needs to be brought back. 'There will be no shame in the NPA in doing that, failed as they have. In fact, many South Africans would be delighted to see Omotoso brought back to face the music. I did not trust the NPA at all since the Zuma years, but now I hate them for their conduct in the Omotoso and many State Capture cases,' said. Msomi, who said she was not a supporter of ActionSA, urged all South Africans to voice their displeasure with the criminal justice system. 'It only benefits the rich and corners ordinary South Africans,' Msomi said. Omotoso left the country in May and was declared a prohibited person for overstaying his visa and entering SA on a false permit. 'Batohi must go. We need somebody new, hopefully with a much clearer vision and guts,' Tisietso Mofokeng, 39, from the East Rand, said on Thursday. The ActionSA leaders said that while Batohi's 2018 appointment was met with hope that the NPA would move past an era defined by State Capture, 'that hope has curdled into deep public disillusionment'. 'The institution remains directionless, riven by internal factionalism, and wholly unable, or unwilling, to act decisively against either high-level corruption or pervasive violent crime. 'From troubling vacancy rates across provinces and key units within the NPA, to the failure to prosecute any high-profile cases arising from the Zondo Commission, to botched cases involving Timothy Omotoso, Ace Magashule, Moroadi Cholota and Zizi Kodwa, and the apparent laissez-faire approach to consequence management within the institution, the case for the removal of the NDPP is made by her own widely evident failures as the head of the institution. Batohi refuses to step aside Batohi has repeatedly denied that the NPA is in crisis. 'I want to say that, as the NDPP, I will not be stepping down because I believe that we are doing a really good job to serve the people of this country – as we have been – and, particularly, the victims of crime,' Batohi told MPs in Parliament this week. Batohi conceded there were '10 to 12 cases… that the NPA is coming for a lot of flak on'. 'There are legal processes and I urge that we consider these cases individually and consider where is the actual problem. And once we understand the actual problem, make sure we put in place solutions which address the problem,' she said. 'There are huge systemic problems in the criminal justice system. And I want to say that as the national director, I will not be [stepping] down because I believe that we are doing a really good job. And I will continue with my really good team to serve the people of this country,' said Batohi. In a recent SABC interview, Batohi said, 'There certainly have been setbacks and I don't want to underplay that. There've been major setbacks for the institution. But we're dealing with them.' During her presentation to the parliamentary justice committee on Tuesday, Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi said one of the problems facing the NPA was corruption. She said lifestyle audits could help address this. 'With lifestyle audits, we are able to see the patterns. We have agreed that this work will be done and we have committed that it will be started in this financial year,' she said. Batohi's term is set to expire in January 2026, and civil society groups have called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to make the appointment process of her successor public, in a similar fashion to the public interviews Batohi faced before she was appointed. DM
Eyewitness News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Eyewitness News
State prepping to argue appeal against Omotoso acquittal in open court, reveals Batohi
CAPE TOWN - National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) head Shamila Batohi says the State is preparing to argue its first step in the appeal against the judgement in the Timothy Omotoso human trafficking and sex crimes trial in open court. Batohi has revealed in Parliament that in an unprecedented move, Judge Irma Schoeman has asked the State to make oral arguments in its appeal seeking clarity on the factual findings of the judgement. The Nigerian pastor was acquitted in April after nearly eight years in court, leaving the country shortly afterwards. Batohi has told Parliament's Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) on Wednesday that while the case had been a setback in the fight against gender-based violence (GBV) cases, all is not yet lost. Batohi has been facing increasing pressure to step down following the acquittal of Omotoso, and the court's criticism of the conduct of prosecutors in the case. The NPA launched an appeal in May and Batohi has on Wednesday told Parliament that there's been movement in the case. 'Quite unusually, the judge has now asked that we actually argue this matter in court, which has never been done before.' Batohi said only once the factual findings have been clarified, will the NPA be able to take the next step to outline the legal basis for its appeal. 'I would urge that we wait until the appeal to then decide whether the prosecutors in fact botched the matter.' Batohi said a prosecutor involved in the Omotoso case was subsequently removed from another high-profile matter involving Fort Hare University. Batohi said the Omotoso acquittal has overshadowed all the good work the NPA has done to achieve convictions in sexual crime cases.
IOL News
09-06-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Six of the best: Editor's pick of the letters you sent to us
Who is fooling who at City Hall? What is going on within the eThekwini Metro is beyond one's understanding. A year ago, in April the city workers down tools of trade in protest of their pay scale, which is Category 8. The strike went caused havoc and impaired service delivery. The outcry was loud and Cogta had to intervene, when, in my opinion, it was unnecessary. It was unnecessary because one of the things listed in the motivation to increase the City Manager's salary by 66.66% was that he was leading a Category-10 municipality. That alone was reason enough to award workers their demands. Various consultations were made to verify the worker's call, but to date the issue remains unresolved, with the municipality crying about how tight the budgetary constraints are. The City says it had insufficient funds to foot the bill, but is wasting funds in defending court cases with contractors. Additionally, the City has advertised top executive positions that have a Category-10 salary scale. So, who is fooling who instance? I fail to understand the whole setup, but maybe the citizenry can dissect the situation, because it judged the workers in their actions. This is not an ideal situation to make a discourse, but the City management needs to provide leadership and furnish answers or another action by the workers will be justified, soon, I guess. | Concerned citizen (name withheld at editor's discretion) The DPP and her NPA office are inept Following the grave miscarriage of justice recently regarding the Omotoso case, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) now has more egg on its face with the extradition M Cholota – the ex-personal assistant of former Free State Premier Ace Mageshule – being ruled as unlawful. Much of the ineptitude and gross shoddiness of the under-performing NPA is a sad reflection of Shamilla Batohi, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).She is in the same inferior league as the former Public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane, who was booted out of office owing to poor performance. The new DPP will be appointed in 2026, but why is Batohi not shown the door immediately due to her ongoing failure to deliver? Is it because she is an ANC crony and lackey?Please, President Cyril Ramaphosa save our beloved country from continuing to be a laughing stock, especially in the international arena. You must make relevant appointments to senior public offices with competence, merit, credibility and integrity being minimum requirements. Shame on the relevant parliamentary portfolio committee for accepting the half-baked responses and other hogwash of the DPP in various sittings. Like her, most committee members are buffoons and are doing the country a great disservice. Enough is enough! | Simon T Dehal Verulam US-influenced UN in need of overhaul One would have wished that the UN Gaza ceasefire resolution, that is shaped by international law, Universal Declaration of Human Rights and principles of social justice, would have received unanimous vote, but, sadly and regrettably, it was vetoed by the US. The UN call, which was supported by 14 of the 15 members of the Security Council, was for the fifth time rejected by the US, making it the only country to vote against the urgent appeal for an 'immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire' in apartheid Israel's war on Gaza. The grossly ineffective UN Security Council which was established under the UN Charter to maintain international peace and security needs urgent reform to manage real-life global realities, issues and challenges that have changed since its establishment in 1945/6 when the UN Charter was adopted. | MOHAMED SAEED Pietermaritzburg How wonderful to see Trump, Musk fall out It was like manna from heaven to see the Donald Trump/Elon Musk bromance finally come to an end. The battle of the Titans was always destined to end in failure as it could be likened to King Kong taking on Godzilla … there could be no winner. The US president got his way by using Musk's ATM to squeeze his way into the White House – had it not been for Musk's financial backing, Trump wouldn't even have gotten into the Oval Office toilet ! Musk doesn't need Trump. He has oodles of money and has more than made his mark. It is, however, not dollar bills that measures a man's worth but the legacy he leaves. Musk now has a golden opportunity to put his wealth into a worthy cause and at the same time stick it to Trump! The Gaza conflict is calling. Sort that out and Musk will go down in history as the man who did what Trump failed to do, by instigating peace in the Middle East Musk's name will be etched in history as the man who did what no one could do for over a thousand years ! Now that's a challenge and what a legacy that would be. | Colin Bosman Newlands Why aren't we celebrating her? Is South Africa's first black female winemaker, Carmen Stevens, being afforded the recognition she deserves in the 'Rainbow Nation' for having achieved turning her childhood dream into a winemaking legacy? | Eric Palm Gympie, Queensland, Australia Shameful message of such letter-writers Some letter writers are called 'bullies' because they insist that the message of the day – the genocide in Palestine – should be shouted out loudly and continuously for all to hear, until this heartbreaking, very dark and heinous episode ends. And so the cries of these writers are halted. Perhaps because it upsets advertisers or other vested interest in certain newspapers! This selective opinion blackout obviously makes the media that fails to assist readers to voice their opinions based on established human rights, and possibly complicit in the genocide.'Selective', because some writers (actually just a pair of them) constantly side with Trump regarding the ' kill the boer' US President Donald-narrative, which begs the question: Why have, they not joined the flotilla of selected Afrikaner farmers making their way down the Mississippi towards a glorious future. In America? These writers are forever also siding with Israel calling it a ' fantastic' country while calling Iran a 'fanatical' state! Israel, the state that does something that has probably never been tried before: Luring starving Palestininians with the promise of scraps of food, then callously shooing them!How can humans in this country actually still side with a lunatic fringe like these Zionists in Israel?. Zionists whose neo-religion is their own modern invention which has nothing to do with Judaism?It's a very sad indictment on the press in this country which is actually fully permitted the proverbial 'freedom of the press', a concept that seems to be increasingly obstructed in other, so-called 'democratic' countries. These writers treacherously side with Israel against the ICC and IJC charges initiated by our very own South African legal system, while nobody else around the world has the actual acumen to do anything close to this!All very shameful! | Ebrahim Essa Durban DAILY NEWS
Daily Maverick
01-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
Pastor Omotoso continues legal battle over cancelled crusade venue, mayor's statements in East London
The Jesus Dominion International Church in East London and Pastor Timothy Omotoso are continuing legal action against the Buffalo City metro after mayor Princess Faku ordered the cancellation of their booking at the Orient Theatre, where Omotoso was scheduled to lead a 'New Dawn' crusade. Although Pastor Timothy Omotoso has since left South Africa, Stuart Laubscher, the Nelson Mandela Bay metro based lawyer representing The Jesus Dominion International Church in East London said he was still taking instructions from his client and intended to proceed with legal action against the metro and mayor Princess Faku over the cancellation and events leading up to Omotoso's departure from the country. In April, Omotoso was released from prison after Judge Irma Schoeman acquitted him on several charges of human trafficking and sexual assault. The charges stemmed from allegations by several young female congregants, who claimed Omotoso had sexually assaulted them in a church residence in Durban. Judge Schoeman ruled that the State had failed to prove its case, citing, among other issues, its failure to properly cross-examine Omotoso and his co-accused, Lusanda Sulani and Zukiswa Sitho, and to lead corroborating evidence to strengthen the case of each witness. The National Prosecuting Authority has now taken the first steps to attempt to appeal this ruling and has asked for 'clarifications' on the ruling. Following his release from prison Omotoso relocated to East London where his church, Jesus Dominion International, was still active. At the beginning of May the church planned a 'New Dawn' crusade in the city led by Omotoso. For this purpose they rented the Orient Theatre in East London for R14,575. Faku, however, ordered that the booking be cancelled and said publicly that Omotoso wasn't welcome in the city. On 10 May, the second-last day of the crusade, Omotoso was arrested in a joint operation by immigration officials and the police pending his deportation. He was declared a prohibited person in South Africa. He was released from custody though to provide him with a chance to appeal this ruling, but then left the country of his own accord on 18 May. He has been banned from South Africa for five years and should he wish to return after that he must apply for his prohibition to be lifted, according to a statement by the Department of Home Affairs. Laubscher, however, said last week that Omotoso 'didn't have to leave South Africa' but did so of his own accord. He confirmed that he was awaiting instructions on how to proceed in taking legal action against the Buffalo City metro, for cancelling the church's booking and against Faku personally. He said in a letter that their case is that the municipality – including the mayor – acted outside the scope of its power by cancelling Jesus Dominion International's booking at the Orient Theatre and the church now wanted its deposit back. 'Pastor Omotoso was acquitted of all charges in the High Court in Gqeberha. The reason for his acquittal is at this stage of no importance or relevance. Under South African law he is innocent of all charges,' he said. 'The reason they advanced infringes upon our client's rights under the South African Constitution in various ways, which does not need any further explanation as it is glaringly obvious, including but not limited to their rights to religious freedom,' he added. He added that Omotoso's reputation was damaged by Faku's statements and the municipality's actions, and their contention was that the mayor and municipal officials have abused their power. 'There is a substantial claim against the municipality (and other parties) and we are just awaiting instructions to issue summons,' Laubscher said. In a letter addressed to the metro and Faku, Laubscher said the church's booking was cancelled without justification and this constituted a 'misuse of public office and authority'. 'The booking was paid for in full and received by the municipal officials in East London and was summarily cancelled by yourself and this constitutes a breach of contract,' the letter addressed to Faku reads. He added that his client wanted the reasons for the cancellation of the booking 'in writing and not via social media'.
Eyewitness News
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Eyewitness News
Home Affairs tells Parly Omotoso can still be extradited at a later stage
CAPE TOWN - The Department of Home Affairs has told Parliament that Nigerian televangelist Timothy Omotoso hasn't gotten away completely scot free and can still be extradited at a later stage. The department has also reiterated that he can still be charged by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in absentia and as an undesirable person in the country. Omotoso was deported to Nigeria on Sunday and is not permitted back for five years. ALSO READ: Minister of Home Affairs Leon Schreiber and his department were briefing the committee on a range of issues, including dealing with undocumented children as well as legal cases involving the department. Home Affairs director general Livhuwani Makhode questioned the East London Magistrates Court decision to let Omotoso walk on immigration-related charges, saying his rearrest was done correctly. He also said the NPA is well within its rights to appeal the rape and human trafficking case against Omotoso in his absence because South Africa and Nigeria have an extradition agreement. He said the minister can waive his decision declaring Omotoso undesirable to face charges. 'In this case, it would be for that person to come and face the charges they might be brought into the country for. I think we do have a very good relationship with Nigeria through the extradition agreement that has been signed by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation with the Republic of Nigeria.' Schreiber said Omotoso was in the country illegally and had to be deported despite facing an appeal.
