The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) is appalled by the arrogant and deliberate decision by the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) Advocate Shamila Batohi, to not cooperate with the work of the Ad Hoc Committee of Parliament which is investigating allegations of corruption and infiltration of law enforcement in South Africa.
Batohi whose tenure has been marked by inefficiency and incompetence, displayed utter contempt not only for Parliament but towards the people of South Africa during proceedings, wherein she blatantly refused to provide the name of a prosecutor who is allegedly involved in organised crime within the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). This is despite this prosecutor being on suspension and referred to the Investigative Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC). Batohi’s refusal to name this prosecutor, in the wake of concerns that the NPA is complicit in the enabling of criminal syndicates and drug cartels, is part of a pattern of her shielding the corrupt in the NPA.
It was on the 05th of June 2025 on a television interview on broadcaster Newzroom Afrika, where Shamila Batohi alleged publicly that the NPA is being infiltrated by people that do not have the rule of law at heart. Following a meeting with the Minister of Justice and the President of the Republic of South Africa, Batohi later rephrased her commentary and stated that she used inappropriate language to describe the situation which she had earlier characterised as infiltration.
Today however at the Ad Hoc Committee in Parliament Batohi confirmed that she had received information from the National Police Commissioner Lt General Fannie Masemola and from Crime Intelligence Head Lt General Dumisani Khumalo, to corroborate the allegations she made of infiltration in the NPA. Adding that, amongst others, there is a prosecutor involved in organised crime whom she is not in a position to name, citing vague consequences that may arise should she do so.
When pressed by the President of the EFF Julius Malema who, as a point of reference, highlighted that the South Gauteng Director of Public Prosecutions Advocate Andrew Chauke had been suspended by the President of South Africa on similar allegations of corruption. Malema noted that these allegations were being publicly ventilated, proving that her claim to protect the corrupt prosecutor by not naming the individual is inconsistent with precedence. To which, disappointingly, Batohi baselessly stood her ground.
The EFF has been keenly observing the proceedings at the Ad Hoc Committee and at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry closely and has intentionally avoided conducting running commentary as these unfold to ensure that a comprehensive reflection can be made, which will inform subsequent recommendations. The deliberate decision however by the Head of the NPA to not assist the Committee with its work in defence of a suspended prosecutor who is alleged to be corrupt, demands that all South Africans register their displeasure and outrage.
Batohi has disregarded the important work of uprooting the rot in our criminal justice system and has no sense of duty to the Republic which she has failed as her tenure comes to an end in January 2026. Her presentation of consulting with her legal counsel if she should provide the name of the prosecutor either through documentation or incamera testimony is an insult on its own, which is worsened by the fact that she places no set timelines on when she will submit the name, all while utilising state resources for legal counsel on a continuous basis.
The EFF will, therefore, pursue all mechanisms to ensure that Batohi discloses the names of all those within the NPA who are alleged to be corrupted and complicit in crime. This is especially important in this climate where criminals receive lenient sentences or are set free due to incompetence by prosecutors and collaboration between prosecutors and those who terrorise South African people.
Floyd Shivambu serves as the party’s Deputy President and is a prominent spokesperson.
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