Cape Town - Mxolisi Nxasana is stepping down as head of the National Prosecuting Authority after reaching a settlement agreement with President Jacob Zuma, the presidency announced on Sunday.
He will vacate his post on Monday and Silas Ramaite, currently a deputy, will become acting national director of public prosecutions.
“President Jacob Zuma has reached a settlement with the Head of the National Prosecution Authority (NPA), Mr Mxolisi Nxasana, in terms of which Mr Nxasana will vacate his position as National Director of Public Prosecutions from 1 June 2015,” presidential spokesman Harold Maloka said.
Maloka said he could not discuss the terms of the settlement, nor say exactly when it was reached.
The deal ends a 10-month standoff between Zuma and Nxasana.
It began in July last year when Zuma announced that he would institute an inquiry into Nxasana’s fitness to hold office as it emerged that he had failed to disclose past brushes with the law, including a murder charge in the 1980s on which he was acquitted.
The inquiry was called off hours before it was finally due to start earlier this month.
In Sunday’s statement, the presidency said this was done because both Zuma and Nxasana believed that a protracted wrangle would not have been in the interest of the NPA and the government as a whole.
Zuma wished Nxasana well in his future endeavours and his statement included a recognition that he had the necessary integrity to hold a senior position.
“The government recognises that Mr Nxasana is professionally competent and possesses the requisite experience and integrity required to hold a senior position,” it said.
ANA