Ramaphosa fails to start inquiry into Joburg NPA boss suspended on full pay

The Democratic Alliance (DA) urges President Cyril Ramaphosa to stop delaying the disciplinary hearing into the suspended Johannesburg NPA boss Adv Andrew Chauke. There can be no good explanation for this.

It took the President two years to suspend the dodgy NPA boss and now it seems he is dragging his feet yet again in starting an inquiry.

An entire 45 days have elapsed since President Ramaphosa suspended him, yet Chauke has not received any information on when an inquiry into his fitness to hold office will commence. Meanwhile, he is still receiving a full monthly salary on the public's dime.

Chauke was appointed by former President Zuma in circumstances that certainly raised eyebrows. He protected the corrupt and delayed many prosecutions against elements of state capture. He protected murder accused former Crime Intelligence head Richard Mdluli and shielded the former president's son Edward Zuma from being prosecuted for corruption.

There can be no rational reason for the delay in disciplinary proceedings. It is deeply concerning that for a post of this level of national importance, this kind of cavalier approach is being taken. It appears that the President is not taking the crucial process as seriously as he should be.

President Ramaphosa is already under fire for delaying the process of finding a new National Director of Public Prosecutions. The current head of NPA, Shamila Batohi's, term comes to an end in January when she turns 65 - yet no process is underway.

His inaction is detrimental to a country yearning for accountability and justice.

It is clear that the president is willfully ignoring the crisis in the NPA by failing in his mandate of the appointment and removal of NPA top brass.

The DA has repeatedly called for these powers to rather be encased in new legislation and to be couched in parliament and is in the process of developing an NPA amendment bill to do exactly that. The spiralling crisis in the NPA derails the fight against crime and in his inaction, the president is denying South Africans the right to feel safe in their communities.

The DA will continue to lead the drive for a more capable NPA and will do so in its pledge to rescue South Africa.