Cape Town – South Africa’s National Director of Public Prosecutions Shamila Batohi faced fierce criticism from members of parliament after refusing to name a suspended prosecutor accused of links to organised crime.
Appearing before parliament’s ad hoc committee on Tuesday, Batohi was questioned about alleged rogue elements within the National Prosecuting Authority following claims by KwaZulu Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi that criminal networks had infiltrated law enforcement and the judiciary.
Batohi told the committee she could not disclose the prosecutor’s identity because the case was being handled by the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption. She warned that naming the person could harm the investigation and unfairly damage reputations.
“It is not fair to the process or to the person concerned,” she said. “This might turn out not to be true, and we may not be able to verify the information.”
Her stance angered several MPs. Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema accused her of protecting corrupt officials and said, “Just her failure to respond to this question, she must take her bags and go.”
Other MPs shared his frustration. EFF’s Leigh Ann Mathys and ActionSA’s Dereleen James said the names could be disclosed in a closed meeting if necessary. MK party MP Sibonelo Nomvalo accused Batohi of undermining parliament and failing to cooperate.
Batohi said the intelligence came from credible sources, including National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola and Crime Intelligence head Dumisani Khumalo. She said both President Cyril Ramaphosa and Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi were briefed about the matter.
She also referred to the recent kidnapping of the head of investigations at Idac, Matthew Sesoko, as proof of the risks of naming individuals publicly. “I do not want to put people’s names at risk,” she said.
Reflecting on her time as head of the NPA since 2019, Batohi said she inherited a weakened institution that had been hollowed out during the state capture era. She said the rebuilding process gained momentum in 2021 but progress was still slow.
“I had hoped that by now we would have gone further, particularly in prosecuting state capture matters,” she said. “Many cases are in court, but getting through to finality is something else.”
Batohi’s term ends in January 2026. Her leadership has faced scrutiny following several setbacks in high profile cases, including the acquittal of Nigerian pastor Timothy Omotoso.
She told the committee that South Africa was at a crucial point in defending the rule of law and called for institutional reform to strengthen the justice system against infiltration.
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