President Ramaphosa was pushed on Jiba and Mrwebi

26 April 2019

The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes the announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa that he has finally fired the deeply problematic duo, Advocates Nomgcobo Jiba and Lawrence Mrwebi – or “Snake” and “Snail” as they were allegedly code-named by Bosasa executives, whom allegedly paid them large amounts of cash money to keep them sweet.

The two were instrumental in the capture of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). The decline of the institution in the last ten years was in no small measure thanks to their efforts. It is thanks to them and their accomplices that we have not yet seen any successful State Capture, Bosasa, or Zuma prosecutions.

Jiba and Mrwebi have been protected by the failing ANC government for years. That they are now finally fired comes on the back of the recommendations of the Mokgoro Inquiry and is in no small measure thanks to pressure brought to bear on the government by opposition parties such as the DA, civil society organisations like the Helen Suzman Foundation and investigative journalists, as well as our judiciary. When it comes to Snake and Snail, Ramaphosa was pushed. They should have been fired long ago.

The DA has a plan to fight corruption to ensure that all public money is spent on the people, and to transform the NPA into the bastion it once was and could be again. South Africans should vote for the DA on 8 May to make sure this comes to pass.

Issued by Glynnis Breytenbach, DA Shadow Minister of Justice, 28 April 2019