Specialised Commercial Crimes Unit: Simelane continues to restructure in defiance of President Zuma

The NDPP Adv. Menzi Simelane is continuing to restructure the NPA and to decapitate and disband the Specialised Commercial Crimes Unit in defiance of President Zuma's instructions.

That is the only possible interpretation of his reply this morning to my questions during the NPA's quarterly  appearance before the Portfolio Committee on Justice.

On 13th May this year in his reply to the President's vote debate, President Zuma announced that all restructuring at the National Prosecuting Authority had been stopped pending the conclusion of the JCPS Ministers' discussion on the implementation of their performance agreements.

I had during the debate drawn his attention to the fact that the Specialised Commercial Crimes Unit had been disbanded notwithstanding the fact that the Special Directorates are created by Presidential proclamation.

Adv. Simelane asserted this morning that the issue is not disbandment but reporting lines, and that the Unit's prosecutors now report to the provincial Directors of the Public Prosecution while the Special Director Adv. Chris Jordaan is in the NDPP's office.  "There is one solid line and one dotted line," he said. He claims to be awaiting the Minister's decision, but said that "on the ground this is the way it should be."

This sounds exactly like the decapitation and effective disbandment to which we have objected from the start.  The Justice Minister put a stop to the disbandment of the Asset Forfeiture Unit after I revealed that the Strategic Plan which Adv. Simelane presented to the Portfolio Committee on 13th April announced that the AFU "has been disbanded and included as a division in the regional offices."

The Justice Minister considers the units to be "key pillars in the fight against crime and corruption."

I have written to him to alert him to Adv. Simelane's  response.  It was our impression  that not only the SCCU but also the AFU are being restructured and that their successful crime fighting work will be compromised. This - and Adv. Simelane's attitude - are unacceptable.

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