Minister Masutha must verify Jiba's qualifications
18 August 2014
The DA will write to the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Mike Masutha, requesting that he launch a special investigation into the qualifications of the Deputy National Director of Public Prosecutions, Nomgcobo Jiba, with reference to her admission as an advocate. This is a requirement for her to hold her current office.
This follows reports that the advocates' roll does not include Jiba's name. It is, however, unclear whether this is a clerical error or an indication that she is in fact not an admitted advocate (see Sunday Independent report).
The situation does raise serious questions considering Jiba's alleged dishonesty in the recent past. Most notably is a complaint lodged against her for perjury after the court found that she had lied about applying her mind to four statements before deciding to prosecute the thenKwaZulu-Natal Hawks Head, General Johan Booysen, and had misled the North Gauteng High Court and the Supreme Court of Appeal in the Freedom Under Law application regarding Richard Mdluli.
What is of more concern is that President Jacob Zuma may have knowingly appointed a person who did not possess the necessary qualifications to be the acting National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP), before Mxolisi Nxasana's appointment, which would be a flagrant disregard for the law and the integrity of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). Furthermore, if President Zuma did not know about the absence of Jiba's name from the advocates' roll it would amount to gross negligence on his part.
As such, it is important that Minister Masutha launch an urgent investigation to get to the full truth of Jiba's qualifications and subsequent fitness to hold the office of Deputy National Director of Public Prosecutions.
The DA will continue to ensure that those who hold key positions are qualified to do so, to deliver the best standard of service to South Africans.
Statement issued by Glynnis Breytenbach MP, DA Shadow Minister of Justice, August 18 2014
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