PRESIDENT APPOINTS ADVOCATE ANDREA JOHNSON AS NEW HEAD OF INVESTIGATING DIRECTORATE
28 FEBRUARY 2022
President Ramaphosa has appointed Advocate Andrea Johnson as the new head of the Investigating Directorate (ID) in the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). The appointment follows the departure of the previous head, Advocate Hermione Cronje, who is leaving the post at the end of February 2022. We thank Advocate Cronje for her efforts in the challenging start-up phase of the ID.
Advocate Johnson is a senior and experienced prosecutor with more than 26 years of relevant prosecutorial and management experience at the highest levels within the NPA. She is currently the Acting Special Director of Priority Crimes Litigation Unit (PCLU) which is the NPA’s lead entity dealing with some of the most serious and complex crimes in the country related to matters of national security including terrorism. She is also the coordinator of the Organised Crime Component in the NPA.
Advocate Johnson obtained her B-Iuris degree in 1993, LLB degree in 1995 and also completed a Diploma in Criminal Justice and Forensic Auditing in 2007. She is highly respected by her peers and external stakeholders, including the South African Police Service and the Directorate of Priority Crimes Investigation (Hawks). She has significant experience working in multi-stakeholder contexts, including high-profile cases requiring prosecution-guided investigations.
Advocate Johnson was one of the five persons recommended to the President to be appointed as National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) in late 2018. This followed an in-depth and public interview process of 15 candidates for the NDPP post. She is well-known to South Africans and brings relevant profile and legitimacy to the ID and NPA at an important time.
Advocate Johnson has also worked as a senior member of the Directorate of Special Operations (DSO also known as Scorpions), after being appointed to the unit in 1999. She was one of the first appointees in the Scorpions, which led the country’s efforts to bring high profile organised criminals to justice. She led a team of senior prosecutors and investigators that dealt successfully with complex forensic investigations on financial matters. This unique experience with the DSO is hugely significant to the current leadership required to take the ID forward.
Advocate Johnson has demonstrated her ability to work under pressure in the most high- profile and complex prosecution matters. She led the Scorpions team that investigated and prosecuted the Brett Kebble matter, which involved fraud and theft of the JCI and RGE Mines to the value of R4,1 billion. She was also part of the prosecuting team in the corruption cases against Jackie Selebi and Solly Lazarus, the CFO of Crime Intelligence. Advocate Johnson was a key member of the team that prosecuted Oscar Pistorius, where she successfully argued the matter of sentence before the appeal court. These cases created daily headlines, in South Africa and internationally.
Advocate Johnson is well-placed to lead the ID during its next era which will be all about action and impact.
She has demonstrated her commitment and resolve to serve the people of South Africa, to uphold the Constitution and the law, and to work tirelessly to ensure accountability for those who commit the most serious crimes in our country.
We are aware of the smear campaign that is currently being targeted against Advocate Johnson, which is being reported in some media outlets. Considering the current climate in which the ID operates, we expect these kinds of unjustified attacks to continue.
The NPA leadership has absolute confidence in the integrity of Advocate Johnson, and we will not be distracted in our efforts to rebuild the rule of law in South Africa. If any investigations are required, we will conduct them transparently and share the findings as appropriate.
Statement issued by Mthunzi Mhaga, NPA Spokesperson, 28 February 2022
