DA wants Parly to probe NPA boss

010913: Mr Mxolisi Sandile Oliver Nxasana has been appointed as the National Director of Public Prosecutions with effect from 1 October 2013. Mr Nxasana currently practices as an attorney with a wealth of experience in criminal litigation, coupled with his having occupied senior positions in the legal profession including the Chairpersonship of the KwaZulu-Natal Law Society.

010913: Mr Mxolisi Sandile Oliver Nxasana has been appointed as the National Director of Public Prosecutions with effect from 1 October 2013. Mr Nxasana currently practices as an attorney with a wealth of experience in criminal litigation, coupled with his having occupied senior positions in the legal profession including the Chairpersonship of the KwaZulu-Natal Law Society.

Published Jun 4, 2014

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Cape Town - The DA will call on Parliament to look into the appointment of National Prosecuting Authority head Mxolisi Nxasana, the party said on Wednesday.

“Recent allegations in the media around Mr Nxasana raise serious concerns, not only with regard to the process followed in appointing this national director, but also with regard to whether the NPA is being abused to advance political ends,” Democratic Alliance parliamentary leader Mmusi Maimane said.

Independent Newspapers has reported that former justice minister Jeff Radebe called Nxasana to a late-night meeting and instructed him to resign a few days before Zuma announced his new Cabinet.

Radebe allegedly claimed Nxasana had not been given a security clearance because of past brushes with the law. These included being tried for murder about 30 years ago. He was acquitted.

Nxasana has reportedly refused to resign and vowed to challenge the matter in court or an inquiry should he be fired.

The DA believes Nxasana's integrity was being called into question, possibly because he refused to clear suspended crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli on corruption charges.

It was rumoured that he would reinstate corruption charges against Zuma.

Maimane said there were two reasons Parliament's yet-to-be announced justice portfolio committee needed to look into Nxasana's appointment.

“The first is that Mr Nxasana might not be a fit and proper person to hold the office of NDPP, due to prior run-ins with the law, in which case his appointment would have been irrational and falls to be set aside,” Maimane said.

“The second is that Mr Nxasana is a fit and proper person to hold the office, but is being manipulated in his functions to advance political ends.”

The DA wanted several documents tabled before Parliament, should the committee look into the Nxasana matter.

These include a full record of the decision to appoint him, and the application form he completed.

The committee should as part of its terms of reference recommend amendments to the process of appointing future national directors of public prosecutions, Maimane said. - Sapa

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