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IOL News
4 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
NPA launches recruitment drive to fill 268 vacant positions
Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi says the NPA's staff complement has expanded by 34% since 2019 and that it has a substantially reduced vacancy rate. Image: Ntswe Mokoena / GCIS Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi on Tuesday said the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) was currently in a drive to fill 268 vacant posts that were at various recruitment processes at the end of May 2025. Responding to questions in the National Council of Provinces, Kubayi said the NPA's staff complement has expanded by 34% since 2019 and has a substantially reduced vacancy rate. 'In the current format, human capacity, the head count is 5,513 permanent employees, an additional 327 appointed on fixed-term contracts, and 3,562 prosecutors who are permanently employed, and 289 are prosecutors who are appointed on contract. 'In the past financial year alone, the NPA has been able to appoint 728 permanent prosecutors and also 685 contract appointments,' she said. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Kubayi also said the NPA has moved from an annual performance of 50% in the 2020/21 financial year to 73% in 2023/24. 'The upward performance trajectory saw the NPA making a considerable contribution towards the Medium Term Development Plan for 2019-2024 in terms of improving on conviction rates in all court orders and attaining R11 billion in freezing orders against a target of R10.4 billion.' She stated that the NPA has been allocated R6.1 billion for the 2025/26 financial year, with R5.2 billion to be spent on compensation of employees and over R830 million on goods and services. 'It is projected that the NPA will be able to conclude and utilise this budget effectively. I must indicate, in some of the instances, we are able to pull from the Criminal Asset Recovery Account fund to support some of the work, and the Minister of Finance has been very supportive of the NPA in terms of ensuring financial resources.' Kubayi said prosecutors are undergoing continuous training and development in various aspects. 'Currently in the financial year, we have scheduled 148 training programmes and 10 have already taken place with 60 employees benefiting from this.' The minister added that they were consistently reviewing the capacity and the training needs for all areas, especially in dealing with specialised commercial and corruption-related matters. 'We have done the study that provides a picture of levels of capacity where it resides and amongst the prosecutors. Out of this review study, we'll be able to feel where the gaps are and in the areas where there are complex, organised crime, complex commercial crimes, including corruption, we're able to close those gaps.' Kubayi said there were lessons to be learned from the failed prosecution of Timothy Omotoso and Moroadi Cholota, former personal assistant of former Free State premier Ace Magashule. 'More work can be done, but support and providing oversight over some of the cases. A lot of work is being done and over time where there is shortage of capacity, for example, we are able to source even external capacity to come and support the NPA.' Kubayi also stated that the current workload per prosecutor in lower courts was split between the work of the district court and the regional court. 'The outstanding cases per prosecutor in the district court amount to 80 cases per prosecutor. The outstanding cases per prosecutor in the regional court amount to 53 cases. Apart from the criminal court work, prosecutors in both district and regional courts have dealt on average with 207 decision dockets in the past financial year.'
The Citizen
19-05-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Ramaphosa will not testify in Phala Phala trial
The case was postponed due to an accused's pregnancy. At least 22 witnesses are lined up to testify in the Phala Phala trial, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) says. Imanuwela David, Ndilinasho Joseph and Froliana Joseph appeared in the Modimolle Magistrate's Court on Monday in connection with the burglary at President Cyril Ramaphosa's farm in February 2020. They are accused of breaking in and stealing $580 000 (about R10.4 million). ALSO READ: ConCourt ruling on Phala Phala report 'not a blow' for Ramaphosa – Presidency On Monday, Magistrate Peter Manthata granted a postponement of the matter to 15 September, 2025 due to Froliana Joseph's pregnancy. NPA Limpopo spokesperson Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi said the 22 witnesses lined up for the trial showed that the state had a strong case against the three. However, the president will not be among the witnesses. 'We can get someone from the farm. It could be a manager or administrator to be part of the trial, not the president,' Malabi-Dzhangi told the SABC. ALSO READ: Many compliance questions remain in Phala Phala dollar saga She added that the NPA had filed an extradition request with the Namibian government for two more suspects. She said the trial against the three would continue while the state attempts to extradite the other two. Phala Phala spotlight The burglary at Ramaphosa's farm was brought to light by former State Security Agency director-general Arthur Fraser after reporting the matter to the police in June 2022. Fraser accused Ramaphosa of kidnapping and money laundering, triggering investigations into the president. In November 2022, an independent panel appointed by then-National Assembly speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula found that there was 'prima facie' evidence that Ramaphosa may have violated sections 96(2)(a) of the constitution and 34(1) of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act with the aim of keeping the investigation of the burglary private. ALSO READ: 'Phala Phala will never die' – EFF and ATM take on Ramaphosa and NA over panel's report In March 2023, members of parliament voted against a DA motion to establish an ad hoc committee to investigate the burglary at the farm. Since then the NPA has decided not to pursue prosecution against Ramaphosa, while the Public Protector, the South African Revenue Service and the South African Reserve Bank have cleared him of wrongdoing. Ramaphosa has denied any wrongdoing in the farm matter. 'I have endeavoured, throughout my tenure as president, not only to abide by my oath but to set an example of respect for the constitution, for its institutions, for due process and the law. 'I categorically deny that I have violated this oath in any way, and I similarly deny that I am guilty of any of the allegations made against me,' he previously said in a statement. READ: NEXT: 'No dirty dollars' – Ramaphosa calls out DA for 'jumping to conclusions' about farm matter
