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[File Photo] Cheryl Zondi, Sarah Mofokeng, Hlubikazi Faleni, Neliswa Mxakaza Makhubela, Anele Precious Mxhakaza appear before the CRL Rights Commission in Johannesburg on 17 April 2025.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) says a lack of skills and experience in the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) is seriously hampering its ability to bring successful prosecutions.
This is after the High Court in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, acquitted Nigerian televangelist Timothy Omotoso and two others last month.
The trio faced over 30 charges, including rape, human trafficking, and racketeering.
Legal expert Ulrich le Roux says it will be difficult for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to get Televangelist Timothy Omotoso extradited if they wish to have him retried. pic.twitter.com/z9P74xh5j4
— SABC News (@SABCNews) May 19, 2025
DA spokesperson on Justice and Constitutional Development, Advocate Glynnis Breytenbach says, “One of the reasons is that as soon as people become skilled or experienced, they get poached by private enterprises because they can pay so much more. But the fact of the matter is that prosecuting is a job that you learn on the job. You can’t learn it at university; it doesn’t matter how well qualified you are.
Prosecuting is a job that you learn by doing it. And the people who have had all that expertise are now retiring. And those skills are not being retained in any formal fashion. And the young prosecutors have nobody to learn from. So, there’s a lack of skills, there’s a lack of experience, there’s a lack of exposure and this is starting to show in the way that big matters are being handled.”
SA deports Nigerian preacher Timothy Omotoso
NPA
The NPA, meanwhile, says it will proceed with the appeal of Omotoso’s acquittal. The NPA says the law does not require active participation or the presence of an accused person during a court’s hearing of an appeal. It says if the appeal succeeds, it will apply for Omotoso’s extradition.
NPA WILL PROCEED WITH APPEAL DESPITE AMOTOSO DEPARTURE pic.twitter.com/RA4yw03OJQ
— NPASouthAfrica (@NPA_Prosecutes) May 19, 2025
The civil rights movement #NotinMyName International has called on the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to continue to investigate the rape of a seven-year-old minor in Matatiele in the Eastern Cape.
The NPA has cited insufficient evidence for its decision not to pursue prosecution. The 7-year-old girl was allegedly raped in November last year. The movement’s secretary-general, Themba Masango, says justice must be served.
“We demand the immediate review of the investigation. We urge the NPA to reconsider its position that justice cannot be different when a child’s safety and dignity are at stake and accountability is non-negotiable in this issue. We stand with the survivor, her family and every child failed by the system meant to safeguard them. The NPA must act decisively and restore public trust and demonstrate that such crimes will never be met with impunity.”
Cheryl Zondi speaks out after court ruling
