Jiba meets her deadline, sends Presidency reasons why she should not be suspended
The Presidency will soon know why Deputy National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) boss Nomgcobo Jiba and her colleague Lawrence Mrwebi say they should not be suspended, pending an inquiry into their fitness to hold office.
This, after Jiba's advocate told News24 that his client's submissions had been received by the Presidency on Friday afternoon.
"I can confirm that Jiba has met the deadline," Zola Majavu told News24 on Friday.
He confirmed that the Presidency had acknowledged receipt of the submissions.
It is understood that submissions from her colleague, Mrwebi, were also in the process of being delivered.
President Cyril Ramaphosa announced last week that he intended on instituting an inquiry into their fitness to hold office.
He said he informed Jiba and Mrwebi of his decision to institute a commission of inquiry.
"I cannot underscore the importance of the public's trust in the National Prosecuting Authority and its most senior management. It is a constitutional institution that is central to the proper administration of justice.
"Doubt about the fitness and integrity of anyone in so senior a position as you hold, jeopardises this trust and the ability of the NPA as a whole," Ramaphosa said in letters to both advocates.
"The allegations made in these various judgments have been in the public domain for many years now and despite the litigation at issue not reaching conclusion, the pronouncements by these various members of the judiciary have negatively tainted the image of the NPA and will continue to do so until fully ventilated and addressed," he said.
The inquiries are expected to be established in terms of Section 12(6) of the National Prosecuting Authority Act.
In July, the Supreme Court of Appeal overturned a ruling of the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria that Jiba and Mrwebi be struck from the roll of advocates.
However, the General Council of the Bar of South Africa (GCB) later filed papers in the Constitutional Court for leave to appeal the SCA ruling.
In the papers, GCB chairperson Craig Watt-Pringle SC said he believed there were "reasonable prospects of success in an appeal".
He said four judges found that striking-off orders should be made in the circumstances of the case and the three disagreed.
"The application by the General Council of the Bar of South Africa is to request the court by the custos morum (ethical standards) of the profession to use its disciplinary power over an officer of the court who has misconducted him or herself."
Jiba and Mrwebi are opposing the application.
