Ramaphosa suspended Chauke, with effect from 20 July 2025, on full pay pending the finalisation of the inquiry.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has established an inquiry to determine the fitness of Advocate Andrew Chauke, the South Gauteng Director of Public Prosecutions, to hold office.
Ramaphosa suspended Chauke, with effect from 20 July 2025, on full pay pending the finalisation of the inquiry.
Chairperson
Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, said the president has appointed retired Justice Baaitse Elizabeth (Bess) Nkabinde as chairperson of the inquiry, with Advocate Elizabeth Baloyi-Mere and attorney Thenjiwe Vilakazi as additional members.
“The inquiry will look into certain serious allegations regarding Advocate Chauke’s fitness and propriety to hold office as a director of public prosecutions and as a member of the National Prosecuting Authority. Advocate Chauke was appointed director of public prosecutions on 1 September 2011.
“In terms of the constitution, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Act and the rules of natural justice, an inquiry as regards the allegations made against any director of public prosecutions, should be conducted fairly and impartially,” Magwenya said.
ALSO READ: Police minister Mchunu ‘now under criminal investigation’
Rules
Magwenya added that, in consultation with Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi, Nkabinde will determine the seat of the inquiry as well as the rules of procedure.
“At the end of the enquiry, the chairperson shall submit a report to the president.”
In July, Ramaphosa said he believed Chauke’s “continued tenure as Director of Public Prosecutions – while facing serious accusations – would negatively affect the reputation of the NPA as a whole”.
Claims
Sunday World previously reported that NPA boss Shamila Batohi told Chauke that she was writing to Ramaphosa after demanding answers from Chauke regarding various decisions he had allegedly made, so that she could decide what to do about it and him.
Batohi reportedly questioned Chauke on his apparent initial reluctance to prosecute former president Jacob Zuma’s son, Duduzane Zuma, for culpable homicide despite a magistrate having found there was prima facie evidence that Duduzane may have been negligent when losing control of his Porsche and crashing into a taxi in 2014. A Zimbabwean woman died, and three people were left injured.
Culpable homicide
In 2019, the Randburg Magistrate’s Court acquitted Duduzane of culpable homicide.
Batohi also reportedly questioned Chauke on why former police crime intelligence head Richard Mdluli was not prosecuted on a murder charge related to the 1999 shooting of Oupa Ramogibe, a former lover of his then-girlfriend.
Mdluli was later cleared of his involvement in Ramogibe’s murder and convicted of assault with the intention to do grievous bodily harm and two charges of kidnapping.
ALSO READ: NPA boss reportedly on warpath against Joburg head over his prosecution decisions
