When National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) head Shaun Abrahams announced that Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan would be charged with fraud, he said, rather dramatically: "The days of criticising the decisions of the National Prosecuting Authority are over!" Well. Not quite over it seems. The charges have already been challenged in court, and Freedom Under Law and the Helen Suzman Foundation did not mince their words: "shambolic" and "altogether in bad faith" are some of their choice phrases. But my question is this: if Abrahams wants the criticism to end, why does he act in ways that are so inappropriate, immediately raising suspicion? Why, for example, would an NPA head meet with President Jacob Zuma at Luthuli House the day before he announces that Gordhan will be charged? It was inappropriate — even if they did not discuss the Gordhan prosecution. It just looks so bad. The head of the NPA can, and should, meet the president. But he should not do so at the headquarters of a politica...
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