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Suspended South Gauteng Director of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Andrew Chauke
Suspended South Gauteng Director of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Andrew Chauke, has accused retired National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP), Advocate Shamila Batohi, of systematically purging black prosecutors.
He told the Nkabinde Inquiry in Pretoria that six black prosecutors, including himself, faced disciplinary processes under her tenure.
The inquiry is probing Chauke’s fitness to hold office. Chauke’s decision to pursue racketeering charges against former KwaZulu-Natal Hawks Head, Major General Johan Booysen, and the Cato Manor Organised Crime Unit, despite a court setting aside the racketeering certificate, and his decision to discontinue murder charges against former Police Intelligence Head, Richard Mdluli, are at the centre of the inquiry into his fitness to hold office.
Chauke responded to questions from his attorney, Advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi.
“Are these black prosecutors?” asked Adv Ngcukaitobi.
“All of them,” answered Adv. Chauke.
“Is this an odd thing that Advocate Batoyi came and then systematically purged black prosecutors?” Adv. Ngcukaitobi asked.
“Yeah, of course. It’s a warning trend, and I take it that each has their own style of management or expectations for some of the background information that they will have. But unfortunately, in this instance, it looks like the real people who had a problem. The other ones were these so-called black prosecutors,” says Adv. Chauke.
WATCH | Advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi questions Advocate Andrew Chauke at the Nkabinde Inquiry in Pretoria on how many prosecutors were placed under disciplinary processes when Shamila Batohi took office. Chauke says about six. pic.twitter.com/sjGxKJD6pj
— SABC News (@SABCNews) March 26, 2026
Adv Chauke has also testified that he never authorised racketeering charges against Major General Johan Booysen and the Cator Manor Organised Crime Unit in 2012. Booysen and the unit were accused of targeting members of the Kwa Maphumulo Taxi Association following a feud over routes with the rival Kwa Dukuza taxi operators.
Chauke was accused by the now-retired Batohi of instituting racketeering charges against Booysen based on insufficient evidence. Batohi withdrew the charges.
She also criticised Chauke for his decision to discontinue murder charges against former Police Intelligence Head, Richard Mdluli, which were later reinstated.
RELATED VIDEO | Nkabinde Enquiry | Adv. Andrew Chauke testifies
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6959Z8R640
