NDPP enquiry: President Zuma's announcement raises questions
The Democratic Alliance is concerned that President Jacob Zuma yesterday afternoon announced that he is considering suspending the National Director of Public Prosecution (NDPP), Mr Mxolisi Nxasana, despite the terms of reference of the enquiry into Mr Nxasana's appointment having not been made public - more than a month after the enquiry was announced.
Before appointing Mr Nxasana, the President ought to have satisfied himself that Mr Nxasana was a fit and proper person to hold the office of NDPP. Yesterday's announcement raises more questions over whether this suspension is not so much about Mr Nxasana's fitness to hold office but more about a continued cover-up regarding the spy tapes and the protection of Richard Mdluli. Mr Nxasana's only obvious mistake was to exercise his independence.
Furthermore, President Zuma's haphazard handling of this matter of national importance - which has been characterised by delays and a lack of information - will only act to undermine the integrity of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) even further. It is also unclear why Mr Nxasana was not suspended simultaneous with the announcement of the enquiry if it was necessary to suspend him at all.
It appears as if the only concerns the President has regarding Mr Nxasana's fitness to hold office centre on two very old previous convictions for assault. It is scarcely possible that an appointment of the magnitude of NDPP was made by the President without even a cursory check of prior convictions, which would have revealed these. This supports the notion that there is more to this matter than the President is telling us.
The DA therefore calls on President Zuma to urgently clarify the full terms of reference of the enquiry and to stop dragging his feet. We must not allow for the NPA to be undermined any further by the President's delays, nor can we stand by while the NDPP is removed, unless there is shown to be good reason to do so.
Statement issued by Mmusi Maimane MP, DA Parliamentary Leader, August 2 2014
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