There have been a number of efforts to prise deputy prosecutions head Nomgcobo Jiba from her powerful position in the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). Of these, the high court judgment striking her from the roll of advocates, effectively barring her from her post, is the most devastating.Less clear are the consequences of the judgment for the NPA as an institution. It has been mired in factional infighting and has struggled to restore its reputation for impartial prosecutorial decision making. Allegations of political meddling go back to the Thabo Mbeki administration, when the NPA was alleged to have been pulled into Mbeki’s personal political battles.The 108-page judgment from judge Francis Legodi found that Jiba and Special Commercial Crimes Unit head Lawrence Mrwebi were not fit and proper to be advocates. Under the NPA Act they must have a legal qualification to practise in court.They could try to enrol as attorneys, but that profession also has a fit and proper requiremen...
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