Cape Town - The Democratic Alliance on Monday questioned the motives behind the termination of an inquiry into South Africa’s prosecutions boss Mxolisi Nxasana, saying it paved the way for a golden handshake.
“The DA believes that the termination of the inquiry paves the way for the President to push Mr Nxasana out of office by offering him a payoff. This has increasingly become the ANC’s way of ridding themselves of those who try to carry out their duties without fear or favour,” said DA MP Glynnis Breytenbach.
“The DA believes that Mr Zuma and his allies will put pressure on him to go quietly, which will allow for Zuma to install a National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) of his choosing in order for him to stay out of court on the hundreds of corruption charges that were conveniently dropped prior to him becoming President.”
If Nxasana is paid out, it would follow on the heels of the R13 million payout to former Hawks head Anwa Dramat, and the golden handshake to former SA Revenue Service deputy commissioner Ivan Pillay.
“Nxasana’s attempts to reinstate charges of murder, kidnapping and defeating the ends of justice against disgraced crime intelligence head, Richard Mdluli, have put his job on the line,” said Breytenbach.
“It is no secret that Mdluli is a close ally of Zuma and was deployed to crime intelligence to protect the President from accountability.”
Zuma established the commission of inquiry, headed by advocate Nazeer Cassim, in February after the presidency said Nxasana had failed to obtain security clearance as a result of past brushes with the law, including his acquittal in 1985 for murder on grounds of self-defence.
Earlier on Monday, Zuma’s office said the inquiry had been called off.
“The President is currently engaging with Mr Nxasana with a view to taking decisions which are in the best interest of the National Prosecuting Authority, Mr Nxasana and the country at large,” the Presidency said in a statement on Monday.
ANA