DISCUSSION | NPA under the spotlight

Dr Jean Redpath argues that the National Prosecuting Authority’s recent failures in high-profile corruption cases reflect deeper structural problems rather than isolated mistakes.

She says the NPA’s legislative framework weakened the institution during the state capture years and still limits its independence, skills and capacity. In particular, the NPA struggles to prosecute complex corruption cases because it cannot easily appoint specialised legal or forensic experts and lacks the budget to do so.

Redpath also stresses that operational responsibility lies largely with provincial Directors of Public Prosecutions, not only the National Director. Poor case management, weak accountability mechanisms, and long-serving provincial leaders have contributed to declining performance.

Her conclusion is clear: without legislative reform to strengthen independence and capacity, the NPA is unlikely to deliver meaningful accountability in major corruption cases.