Maimane wants NPA boss suspended
Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Mmusi Maimane has written to President Jacob Zuma, calling on him to suspend the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) Shaun Abrahams, pending an enquiry into his fitness to hold office.
Maimane says Abrahams has overseen the complete politicisation of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), entrenching a culture of selective prosecution.
"Instead of ensuring the law applies equally to everyone, Abrahams has safeguarded certain individuals from prosecution and from facing the full might of the law," says Maimane.
"His complete silence and lack of action regarding clear acts of grand corruption and state capture by a small political elite - spearheaded by the Guptas - shows he is both unfit and unable to hold the office of NDPP."
Maimane says he has laid criminal charges against Atul Gupta, Ajay Gupta, Rajesh Gupta, Ashu Chawla, Nazeem Howa, Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane, Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba, Public Service and Administration Minister Faith Muthambi, Cooperative Governance Minister Des van Rooyen, the president's son Duduzane Zuma and suspended Eskom executive Matshela Koko.
"Since then, there has been no further action, investigation, or condemnation by Adv. Abrahams nor his office. In any other functioning democracy, the allegations emanating from the leaked Gupta emails would be subject to immediate investigation. However, it appear Abrahams is hell-bent on protecting the corrupt and the connected," says Maimane.
Maimane says they believe that South Africa cannot go on with a 'protector of criminals' heading the prosecuting authority.
"In addition to this, Abrahams has refused to take a decision on whether or not to prosecute President Zuma himself. In March 2014 - over 1200 days ago - I laid eight charges of corruption against the President for his role in using the people's money to build his Nkandla mansion. I received confirmation that the investigation into these charges 'has been concluded'?, and that 'a case docket was handed into the office of the NDPP Mr Shaun Abrahams on 21 August 2015, for a decision whether to prosecute, or not to prosecute'," says Maimane.