MINISTER’S "FAKE" COMMITMENT TO STATE CAPTURE PROBE
Justice and constitutional development minister Thembi Simelane has been accused of blocking access to crucial State Capture evidence, as a bitter row between the department and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) continues to escalate.
In a shocking turn of events, Simelane’s department has been caught hiding behind a veil of secrecy, refusing to cooperate with the NPA’s Investigating Directorate (ID) in its pursuit of State Capture investigations and prosecutions.
The NPA and ID have been locked in a stand-off with Simelane’s department, which has been accused of blocking full access to vital State Capture evidence, including the database gathered by the Zondo Commission.
Advocate Shamila Batohi, national director of public prosecution, has publicly lambasted Simelane’s department, saying it is "unhindered access" that the NPA and ID require in order to fulfill their duties.
But Simelane, in a desperate bid to salvage her reputation, has claimed that she has been "drawn into" the controversy by "malicious" media reporting.
In a bizarre move, Simelane even went so far as to suggest that she has "tried to ascertain with the DG if there are any outstanding requests that have been made by the NPA, or any of the state agencies that need any information with regard to State Capture so that at least, I’ll make sure everything is up to date and try to look into the processes and statements…[that] were agreed."
But her denials have been met with skepticism, as opposition parties and experts have called for transparency and accountability in the State Capture probe.
"Minister Simelane’s commitment to the State Capture probe is fake, and her department’s obstructionism is a clear and present danger to the rule of law," said an ActionSA spokesperson.
"We will not stand idly by while the NPA’s efforts to hold those implicated in State Capture accountable are thwarted by ministerial interference and bureaucratic sabotage."
As the row continues to simmer, one thing is clear: the struggle for justice and accountability in South Africa will not be won without a fight.
