Project Description
SA’s National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and Hawks are struggling to rebuild after almost a decade of political interference. As a result, trust in law enforcement has been deeply eroded. But despite changes in their leadership under President Cyril Ramaphosa, these agencies have yet to regain public confidence. A key reason for this is that there are Hawks officials and NPA prosecutors who continue to work in senior positions – including on state capture cases – despite serious allegations of misconduct against them.
What would it take to improve prosecutorial abilities in the NPA? What needs to be done to bulk up the investigative capacity of the Hawks? How otherwise can these institutions ensure accountability for the slate of state capture crimes identified by the Zondo commission of inquiry? An important first step will be for these institutions to hold their own officials to account.
Watch FM deputy editor Natasha Marrian, in conversation with Open Secrets director Hennie van Vuuren and investigator Raeesa Pather, as Open Secrets releases its new report, “Bad Cops, Bad Lawyers”.
