Ramaphosa Acts Swiftly to Replace Shaun Abrahams

South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has acted swiftly and appointed Dr Silas Ramaite as Acting National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP), following yesterday’s ruling by the Constitutional Court on the “invalid” appointment of Adv. Shaun Abrahams.

ConCourt declared Abrahams’ appointment as invalid and “unconstitutional” following the suspicious removal of his predecessor, Mxolisi Nxasana, with a multi-million dollar “golden handshake”.

The Presidency said Tuesday: “While the President is studying the judgment, he is committed to appointing a permanent NDPP well within the 90 days given by the Constitutional Court for such an appointment to be made.”

In the interim, President Ramaphosa has appointed Dr Ramaite as Acting National Director of Public Prosecutions.

Dr Ramaite is the NPA Deputy National Director responsible for Administration and Office for Witness Protection. He has served as deputy director of the Authority for 15 years.

He holds the degrees B.Proc (University of Fort Hare), LL.B; LL.M, specializing in Criminal Law, Constitutional Law, Administrative Law and Public International Law and LL.D, specializing in Constitutional Law (University of South Africa). He was admitted as an advocate of the Supreme Court in 1988 and was granted the status of Senior Counsel (SC) in 2001.

The ANC welcomed the news and congratulated Ramaphosa on the prompt appointment.

“This prompt and resolute action will go some way in ensuring that the nation regains confidence in this institution that is extremely critical to the integrity, stability and effectiveness of the criminal justice system,” said the ANC.

Opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), had an opposing view – saying Ramaphosa’s appointment of Ramaite “does not bode well for restoring the independence of the NPA”.

Adv Glynnis Breytenbach MP – DA Shadow Minister of Justice and Constitutional South – said “Ramaite has in the past defended the decision of former NDPP Bulelani Ngcuka to not institute corruption charges against former President Jacob Zuma in the infamous “Spy Tapes” saga.

“He even went so far as to acknowledge his own co-responsibility on the issue, stating in 2004 that “We had made the decision as a collective in the NPA and we stand by it” and that “It was not as if Bulelani sat there in the office and took decisions alone.”

“He has sat idly by while successive NDPP’s and Acting NDPP’s, including Mokotedi Mpshe, Menzi Simelane, Nomgcobo Jiba and Shaun Abrahams systematically destroyed the fabric of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and South Africa’s criminal justice system. His track record proves that, at best, he is weak, vacillating and pliable.”

The DA urged Ramaphosa to appoint a new permanent NDPP as soon as possible and reiterated their call for the selection process to involve Parliament.