By Daanyaal Matthews
Head of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Shamila Batohi, is facing mounting pressure following calls from several political parties — including the ANC and the MK Party — for her dismissal.
Speaking on VOC’s Newsbeat, political analyst Professor Ntsikelelo Breakfast said Batohi is in an increasingly untenable position following the high-profile Omotoso case. As the head of a Chapter 9 institution, she has become a focal point for criticism.
“Even in other prominent cases where you find people being arrested, then later on you hear that the matter has been dismissed by the court of law. So the problem lies with that particular institution, and I think someone must be held accountable, and, unfortunately, the buck stops with her as the embodiment of the institution,” argued Breakfast.
The NPA has come under fire for its handling of several major cases. While Breakfast acknowledges that the institution’s failings go beyond Batohi, he says her leadership role inevitably places her in the spotlight.
“Of course one must look at the entire institution, the whole organizational culture; it is not good when you look at what they have brought towards the courts. Most of them have been unsuccessful, and I think that’s why people are targeting her because the buck stops with her,” added Breakfast.
Listen to the full interview here:
