Rapula Moatshe
PRETORIA: Newly-appointed National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) boss Shaun Abrahams didn’t mince his words when he pronounced yesterday he won’t use his position to protect anyone.
None of his predecessors had completed their 10-year term, but Abrahams showed confidence that he could be an exception. “I can only aspire to fulfil my term,” he succinctly said.
His immediate predecessor, Mxolisi Nxasana, left after a presidential commission to look into his fitness to hold office was aborted in May.
Abrahams made his first public appearance since President Jacob Zuma appointed him to the powerful position last month.
When specifically asked to respond to whether he would protect Zuma, he replied: “I can assure you that I don’t intend to use my position to protect anyone.”
He gave a speech at an auditorium packed with his colleagues and journalists at the NPA’s Silverton offices.
Abrahams believed that Zuma had shown confidence in him “to administer justice without fear, favour or prejudice”.
“I prosecuted my first case in 1997 when I was 21,” said Abrahams.
He outlined his plans to rebuild public confidence and fulfil the role of assisting the courts in seeking the truth.
Abrahams, who rose through the ranks of the NPA, attributed his achievement in the legal profession to selfless mentoring.
He expressed a strong opinion against “camps” within the institution. “We are lawyers; officers of the court and not politicians. Under my leadership, there won’t be a room for abuse of prosecutorial power,” he said.
He also said he would not tolerate “senior officials” leaking information to the media.
“This kind of conduct can’t be condoned; it only brings the NPA into disrepute. It cannot under these circumstances be business as usual,” he said.
He said the NPA has mostly been in the media for the wrong reasons. “I have been briefed with respect to all of the issues and I have scheduled a meeting to be briefed with respect to all of them. I can assure you that I don’t intend to be silent on all these issues,” he said.
He said he wanted to bring stability to the NPA and to rebuild it into an institution of excellence and choice.
“I am a prosecutor and I will remain a prosecutor at heart, a people’s lawyer,” he said.
For the first time, he publicly explained where his nickname “Pikkewyntjie” (penguin) came from. “I started walking when I was eight months old; I was walking somewhat like a penguin and my mother nicknamed me ‘Pikkewyntjie’.”
Justice and Correctional Services Minister Michael Masutha commended the 39-year-old Abrahams for his exuberance.
“The leadership has been challenged in many ways at the leadership level. I wish that you will lead the organisation out of the stormy weather to the cruising path that is without turbulence,” he said.