President Ramaphosa suspends Jiba and Mrwebi

Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Khusela Diko, says the decision comes after the advocates made submissions to the president as to why they should be suspended.

"The president is of the view that the matter and the allegations that have been raised about the fitness about the two prosecutors to hold office have been ventilated in public and as quickly as possible that public confidence is restored in the National Prosecuting Authority.”

Diko says the two will be suspended with full pay.

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She says the enquiries will be led by "an all-female and very capable team" led by Justice Yvonne Mokgoro, assisted by Kgomotso Moroka SC and Attorney Thenjiwe Vilakazi.

The evidence leading tea,m which will be led by Nazreen Bawa SC, will develop the terms of reference for the enquiries

In letters to Jiba and Mrwebi, President Ramaphosa wrote: “I have taken into account the serious nature of allegations that you are unfit to be in so high an office, where the work of our criminal justice system is central to the critical and pressing matter of all prosecutions, especially prosecution of corruption cases and safeguard of our public purse.

“You hold a senior position with influence over a large swathe of the NPA. It is the interest of the NPA’s image as a whole that I consider here, and of the integrity of an enquiry that must result in the clearest and most convincing conclusions about the integrity, and sound leadership of the NPA.”

The enquiries will not take the form of a judicial enquiry or a commission of inquiry. Instead it is an internal process that is expected to advise the President on the fitness of the two senior officials to hold high office.