Ramaphosa says Mothibi ‘one of SA’s finest legal minds’
President Cyril Ramaphosa has described Andy Mothibi as one of the country’s finest legal minds, with a strong track record in prosecution during the early stages of his career.
Mothibi was announced as the new National Director of Public Prosecutions on Tuesday.
He will take over from Advocate Shamila Batohi, who is set to retire at the end of January after serving seven years in the role.
Mothibi currently sits as head of the Special Investigating Unit (SIU).
While the appointment has been widely welcomed, there has been disquiet about the fact that Mothibi’s name was not among those shortlisted for the position.
Speaking in North West on Wednesday, Ramaphosa explained that the advisory panel had informed him that none of the shortlisted candidates were fit for appointment.
This, he said, led him to appoint Mothibi.
"We've seen how he has distinguished himself as the head of the Special Investigating Unit, the SIU. It's one of those institutions that really has given us a lot of pride, because the successes that they have reached are largely due to the way he has managed the processes of investigating crime and corruption," said Ramaphosa.
Addressing concerns about why the final choice was announced without Mothibi having appeared on the shortlist or undergone a public interview, Ramaphosa said, "It's not in the law. The law says the president can appoint whomever he wants."
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