Mashaba to seek private prosecutions for corruption, urges SA to join his fight
He said South Africans were yet to see any high-profile arrests and prosecutions, despite daily revelations of 'shameless' looting before the state capture commission of inquiry.
Herman Mashaba addresses the media at a press conference at the Johannesburg city council, 21 October 2019. Mashaba announced his resignation, effective on November 27. Picture: Tracy Lee Stark.
Former Johannesburg mayor and People’s Dialogue founder Herman Mashaba will consult lawyers about pursuing private prosecutions, saying the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) is failing South Africans.
Mashaba, who is working toward the 2021 local government elections, said South Africans were yet to see any high-profile arrests and prosecutions, despite daily revelations of “shameless” looting before the state capture commission of inquiry.
“Our focus will be on pursuing cases which have been sitting with the NPA and around which no decision-making is taking place,” Mashaba said in a statement.
“We cannot allow the NPA to drag out these decisions indefinitely as a delaying tactic to protect the politically connected.”
Mashaba added that he would meet anti-corruption organisations.
He also said he would use the Public Audit Act to ensure that institutions such as the auditor-general pursued government officials who facilitated corruption on behalf of politicians.
“It is clear to me that any hope of the state fighting corruption has faded. Our justice system has been captured by the political establishment to protect its own,” he said.
Mashaba added that the answer to corruption was with the country’s citizens and called on South Africans to support his efforts and fund the private prosecutions initiative.
“Already we have been overwhelmed by the number of South Africans who have expressed their willingness to give the little that they can to this important cause,” said Mashaba.
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