Political Analyst Aubrey Matshiqi says it is yet to be seen if the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) will have the appetite to prosecute President Cyril Ramaphosa based on the criminal complaint laid against him by former spy boss Arthur Fraser.
The former State Security Agency (SSA) director-general Fraser opened a criminal complaint against the President for charges relating to kidnapping, defeating the ends of justice and bribery.
The video below is reporting on the charges:
The case stems from theft of over $4 million from the President’s Phala Phala farm in Limpopo, two years ago.
Ramaphosa has denied any wrongdoing.
Matshiqi says he believes that based on the conduct of the NPA over the past two decades, South Africans might be fooling themselves if they feel something will come out of the case.
“If you look at the NPA from that period, for me two things had happened to the NPA. Firstly, there has been political interference. But secondly, there have been times when the NPA without any political interference has anticipated the wishes of those in power.”
“That means, what the NPA then does when it does something right or does something wrong, it does so because it has anticipated the wishes of those in power. Therefore, there is a possibility that if Ramaphosa remains strong, the NPA may want to anticipate the wishes of the President and act accordingly,” explains Matshiqi.
Meanwhile, political analyst Ongama Mtimka says President Ramaphosa’s legal woes may threaten his agenda to rebuild institutions.
He says to get Ramaphosa to back down on institution building within the party and state, his opposing faction needed him to be personally compromised.
Below is the full interview with Ongama Mtimka:
NPA yet to receive any case for prosecution against Ramaphosa
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) says it has not received any case for prosecution with regard to President Cyril Ramaphosa.
The National Director of Public Prosecutions says it is yet to receive the docket for possible prosecution.
Hawks national spokesperson Brigadier Thando Mbambo only says senior and experienced investigators have been appointed to head investigations.
