Minister Kubayi orders NPA to classify high-profile cases for safety

The Minister of Justice, Mmamoloko Kubayi instructed the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to classify high-profile cases in order to strengthen security measures around Prosecutors.

On Thursday, the Minister conducted an oversight visit to New Brighton Magistrate’s Court in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, to engage stakeholders and ensure the courts have sufficient resources to deliver justice.

The visit follows the death of state prosecutor Tracy Brown, who was gunned down outside her house in Young Park, Gqeberha, last month.

She is the second prosecutor to be killed in the province, following the death of Elona Sombulula, who was gunned down in Ngcobo in his family’s homestead.

Justice Minister conducts oversight visit to New Brighton

On Tuesday, an attempt was made to kill a senior Kariega prosecutor. He escaped unharmed after multiple shots were fired at his car.

Minister Kubayi says they are looking at ways to improve security measures around judiciary officials.

“We agreed at the beginning of this week with the NPA that I emphasise the need for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPPS) in the provinces to do an assessment of cases that relate to what is being processed by prosecutors, so we can classify them as high profile. I have also spoken to the MEC in the province, we said we want to upfront identify where the risks are and prevent them from happening.”

Kubayi says she is very concerned about the court’s decaying infrastructure and lack of security.

“It is very clear there are huge challenges in this court. Starting from infrastructure, issues of security to support the work done here. One of my challenges is that there are things you categorise as basic that should be done, that management should be able to account for.”

She adds, “I will be meeting them tomorrow in Gauteng. All the senior managers and provincial heads and leaders across the country will be with me. These are the issues I will have to look at and hold them accountable for.”

So far, no one has been arrested in connection with the murder of Tracy Brown and Elona Sombulula, including for the recent murder attempt of a prosecutor in Kariega.

Eastern Cape | Minister Kubayi visits family of slain prosecutor