LISTEN: ‘The NPA is still captured’

Antonie was speaking at the Kgosi Mamapuru Correctional Services on Wednesday. 

He was attending the launch of the new Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) logo. 

He said the foundation has made a 1500 page submission to the commission of inquiry into state capture on the criminal justice system. 

“There is an ongoing issue about the NPA’s leadership, but what I always say is, it’s not about what has been prosecuted but rather what hasn’t been prosecuted. That is where the story is. There is still a great mystery around the Estina Dairy farm, I don’t know how that could have happened, this isn’t something new, we’ve known about it for five years.” 

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He said the only case of corruption that the NPA pursued was against Public Enterprises Minister, Pravin Gordhan.

Gordhan, who was then Finance minister, was facing charges related to the approval of an early retirement of South African Revenue Services (Sars) official Ivan Pillay and the re-hiring of a consultant who cost SARS R1.1 million. 

Former NPA head Shaun Abrahams dropped the charges in 2016. 

“In 150 cases of corruption, we identified only one case the pursued. Fortunately, we were able to kick that out of court before it went there.  So that organisation is still by our standards captured and the leadership here is very important,” said Antonie.  

Dr. Silas Ramaite is currently the acting director of the public prosecutions and Antione says they will closely monitor who President Cyril Ramaphosa appoints as the new permanent head. 

He added that he believed the judiciary has largely remained uncaptured but believes there is pressure on the courts, specifically from the executive.